


Halcyon

by snakemittens



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alpha Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Anime Spoilers, Attempt at Humor, Awkwardness, Basketball, Birthday Fluff, Blow Jobs, Child Abuse, Child abduction mention, Childhood Friends, Childhood Sweethearts, College, Coming of Age, Confessions, Domestic Violence, Elementary School, Fights, First Kiss, First Time Blow Jobs, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Frottage, Good Parent Grisha Yeager, Growing Up, Growing Up Together, High School, Immaturity, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Jealousy, Long-Distance Relationship, Long-Term Relationship(s), Love Confessions, M/M, Manga Spoilers, Masturbation, Mates, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Middle School, Miscommunication, Mutual Pining, Omega Eren Yeager, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Police, Presentation, Rating May Change, Recreational Drug Use, Rimming, Rutting, Scent Marking, Sex Education, Sexual Frustration, Slice of Life, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Strangulation, Time Skips, Violence, Word Binding, holiday celebrations
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-18
Updated: 2018-11-04
Packaged: 2018-11-15 11:42:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 57
Words: 173,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11230212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snakemittens/pseuds/snakemittens
Summary: Problem child Eren Jaeger meets his match when Levi moves in next door. The two youngsters find friendship quickly and go through the ups and downs in a world of Alphas, Betas, and Omegas. An Alpha and Omega set of best friends includes its own plethora of struggles and misunderstandings. Tested with the trials of growing up, they find joy in the darkness and learn that there is no better sanctuary than in one another.View artwork:here&here&here&here&here&here





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and thank you for reading this new story of mine! I was heavily inspired by the beautiful work, [Five Degrees to the Right](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2510081/chapters/5574935) by [Shimegami](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Shimegami/pseuds/Shimegami). I loved the idea of the challenges and joys of an Alpha and Omega growing up together. The rating will probably change as we go through the story and tags will be added as I go along. I do hope you enjoy and thank you again for reading <3

Eren moaned in annoyance as his mom licked her finger and rubbed away the dirt from his chubby cheeks.

“You’re always so dirty, Eren,” she complained as the dirt smeared across his cheek, making even more of a mess. Eren squirmed, wanting to go back outside and play again. Why were they making him come inside?

“He’s just a little boy, Carla,” Grisha reminded her cheerfully. “He’s never _not_ dirty.”

“You can say that again…” Carla plucked a twig from Eren’s mess of brown hair. She knelt down to meet his eye level and spoke extra clearly, meaning that she really needed him to focus. “Eren, Ms. Kuchel and Levi are coming over today. Levi is a little older than you, think you’re up for a play date?”

“Yes!” Eren hopped in the air with a huge grin. He waved his hands in the air, making his shirt rise up to show off his belly button. Carla took it as an opportunity to deliver the sloppiest, loudest raspberry making Eren squeal with delight and squirm from her grasp.

“Mama, mama!” he begged for her to stop, unable to fully catch his breaths between the shrieks of laughter.

“If this little piggy doesn’t behave today, he’s in for a world of tickle-torture!” she threatened with the fake monster voice that Eren loved. “Does this little piggy promise to behave? No fighting!”

“I promise, I promise!” Eren yelped, trying to paw her away from his exposed tummy in hopes for some relief.

“Carla,” Grisha cleared his throat.

Both Carla and Eren turned to see two new strangers in the atrium. One was a tall woman with dark hair who smiled cheerfully. At her calves stood a boy who caught Eren’s eye. He looked so… _annoyed._ He was taller than Eren and older too. His overalls were clean and dark and his shirt was so white it looked brand new. Both his hair and his face looked like his mother’s, but somehow colder and less welcoming.

Their parents talked for a bit while the two boys sized each other up. Eren put his hands on his hips and pursed his lips, hopefully intimidating the stranger.

“Why don’t you two go play outside while we finish fixing up lunch?” Grisha suggested with a warm smile.

“Yeah, okay,” Eren headed back out to his main domain.

“Go on, Levi,” Kuchel urged her son on, pushing him in Eren’s direction.

Levi crossed his arms and followed the younger out. The both stood underneath the cherry blossom tree in Eren’s yard where Eren had been playing earlier. He had a variety of toys set out, all of them decently covered in clods of dirt and grass. Levi looked at them with disgust and turned his expression back to Eren.

Eren took it as a challenge, “What are you looking at?”

“A dirty brat,” Levi muttered.

Eren raised his little fist, clenching his fingers so hard his hand shook. “What, do you want to fight or somethin’?”

Levi scoffed, “You’ll just cry like everyone else.”

Eren stamped his foot on the ground and growled, “Oh, yeah? You’ll be the one crying!” Eren swung his fist out with the intentions of socking the stupid Levi right in the nose.

Levi caught his little fist in his hand and used it as leverage to toss Eren straight to the ground. Eren landed in a little huff, scrambling back up to his feet.

“What, ready for another ass kicking?” Levi glared.

Eren slapped his hand over his own mouth due to Levi’s cursing. He then balled his fists up once more and held them up, ready for another round. His determination spoke for him, “No, this time you’re getting your _ass_ kicked!” He loved the flavor of the rebellious word on his lips and grinned with pride.

Levi smirked with amusement and stuck his hands in his pockets. “You’re not bad, kid.”

Eren took the opportunity to throw a bunch, but Levi swung his leg out and tripped Eren, causing him to fall onto the ground once more.

Eren yelled with frustration and grabbed Levi’s ankle, yanking him down alongside him. The two boys toppled over each other and started rolling through the lawn in a battle of sloppy punches and pushes.

“Boys! Boys!” Grisha rushed out to the scene and physically tore the two of them apart by the backs of their shirts.

Kuchel ran out after them, quickly taking Levi’s hand. “What did I tell you about fighting, young man?”

“The same goes for you, Eren,” Carla sharply added.

“He started it!” both boys accused in unison.

“I’m so sorry, he’s been going through a… stage…” Kuchel ignored Levi and spoke directly to Eren’s parents.

“We’re going through the same thing. He can’t seem to behave himself lately… We’re sorry as well,” Grisha apologized too. He was radiating Alpha pheromones purposefully to calm both little tykes down, stating his dominance and suppressing the boys’ aggression.

They settled for sitting in the grass together on a quilt, eating their cut up sandwiches and sharing a bowl of grapes. Carla brought out a huge sketchpad to occupy them while the adults chatted amongst themselves. Eren listened in while mindlessly drawing circles on his page.

“It’s a lot of work for a newly single mother,” Kuchel laughed. “He’s already starting to prove himself as an Alpha every day. It’s a bit troubling at times; I don’t have the capabilities of calming him down like an Alpha could. With his father not around, he doesn’t have a good role model to help him through. And now with his stepfather…” She spoke that last part in a whispered hush.

“You think he’s an Alpha?” Grisha asked with curiosity.

“In our family, we tend to present fairly early. He’ll probably undergo the full presentation when he’s twelve or thirteen. But even now, he’s been experimenting with word binding, he’s becoming territorial, and he tends to… challenge me quite a bit. Has Eren shown any hints as to what he’ll present as?”

“He’s definitely aggressive…” Carla muttered with good humor. “Though I don’t think he’s really shown any other traits that would help us prepare.”

“Our guess is that he’s a Beta,” Grisha added. “Or an Alpha.”

Eren turned his eyes back to the sketchpad. Levi had used the blue and green pencils to fill in Eren’s sloppy circles. They looked quite nice, making the rough sketches look like planets or colorful rocks or maybe eyes.

“Sorry I hit you,” Eren whispered, keeping his eyes glued onto the page.

“It’s fine. Sorry I hit you too,” Levi muttered, still filling in the circles. “You don’t cry like everyone else does.”

“I won’t cry,” Eren grumbled, drawing a very crude rabbit that looked like a cotton ball with eyes. Levi eyed it for a moment, as if he were about to comment on it, but resumed his own task instead.

Sure, Levi looked mean. His eyes were stuck in a permanent glare and he never smiled. His unruly dark hair and pale skin made him look like a vampire, maybe. Eren was surprised that he could even beat him in a fight, but Levi could also draw really well too. Levi wasn’t scary and he’d never make Eren cry.

The adults’ conversation got a little more serious and Eren tuned in again. His dad seemed concerned, “How’s it been since…?”

“It’s fine, the two of us are fine. Like I said, being a single parent is hard, but we’ll get through.” Levi’s mom nodded a lot while she spoke.

“If you need _anything_ , don’t hesitate to ask,” Carla emphasized.

“Thank you two for your support,” she held their hands from across the patio table and looked over to Eren and Levi. Eren quickly averted his eyes and got back to scribbling some more bunnies. “He really keeps me going. I know he seems a little… quarrelsome and quiet, but he’s a good boy.”

“We know he is,” Grisha assured her. “I hope he and Eren will become good friends. Eren has had some trouble getting along with kids his age…”

“So has Levi. It’d be nice if they could get attached to one another,” Kuchel agreed.

Eren peered up at Levi to see if he was listening in as well. If he was, Eren couldn’t tell. Be friends with Levi? Eren scrunched his nose up at the thought. Well, at least he’d have someone that could teach him to fight better.

They kept drawing after the sandwiches and grapes were long gone. As the minutes flew by, Eren started to realize he and Levi had moved closer to one another for a battle of dominance of the sketchpad. Their sides were pressed up against each other and their shoulders were bumping together.

Then Levi did something weird. Eren froze while Levi brushed his hair against Eren’s neck. Then he leaned into him and rubbed their necks together. Was he trying to tackle Eren to the ground again? If so, he was doing a terrible job.

“Levi,” Eren complained, pushing back against him. He didn’t try to move too much, as something silent told him to stay still. The gesture wasn’t unwelcomed and Eren didn’t mind at all, it was just a bit annoying when he was trying his best to draw more poof-ball bunnies.

Two hands came up and plucked Levi from the ground. His mother scolded, “ _Levi_ , don’t be rude. Oh heavens, I’m so sorry about his behavior.”

Carla just laughed, “Oh, it’s fine. No harm, no foul.”

Levi scrambled in his mother’s grasp, making some sort of growly noise. “I think it’s fine we take our leave,” she chuckled, balancing him in her arms. “It looks like we’re going to have to have a long talk about decent behavior when we get home.” She sighed, “I didn’t think we’d have to discuss this so soon.”

“Better early than late,” Grisha encouraged. “It’s never an easy conversation for a parent to have, but it’s necessary.”

Eren scrunched up his nose, wondering what they were all talking about. He looked up to Levi, who was still glaring at his own mother and looking down at Eren with a weird expression. Levi didn’t speak after that, though Eren did wish he would have said ‘goodbye’.

After dinner, he curled up on the couch between his parents and found the courage to ask, “Will Levi come over to play again?”

Both of his parents looked at one another in silent conversation before his father spoke, “Of course. They’re moving right next door to us soon, so you two will be able to play a lot.”

“Really?” Eren’s eyes glittered with excitement.

“Yes, really!” his father mimicked his son’s excitement. “But, Eren. You need to know that Levi’s daddy isn’t around anymore so you can’t talk about it with Levi. You wouldn’t want to hurt him, would you?”

Eren shook his head almost violently. Of course, he didn’t want to hurt Levi. Well, maybe he did at first and perhaps they could play-fight a little, but Eren didn’t want to make Levi cry.

“Good. So, Eren… what do you think about Levi?”

Eren thought for a moment and laughed, “He’s kind of weird. But he’s tough too. And he can draw good.”

Both of his parents laughed and the three of them let their attention fall to the television once more.

* * *

“Levi,” Kuchel spoke sternly in a scolding sort of way.

Levi wasn’t sure what he did wrong. He sat in the back seat of the car and glared at his mom through the rearview mirror. They had to go back to their old house for a few more nights before moving into their new home and Levi hated the car ride. He hated his old house too. All he wanted to do was spend more time with Eren.

“You cannot invade Eren’s personal space like that. Remember how we talked about personal bubbles?” she asked. When Levi didn’t reply, she sighed, “Levi, I don’t think you’re old enough for us to talk about this, but you aren’t giving me many options. You’re most likely going to grow up and be an Alpha, do you know what that means?”

Levi knew exactly what it meant. His stepfather was an Alpha and he was mean left the two of them alone. His real father was an Alpha and never stuck around either. An Alpha meant being a terrible person and he resented it.

“It means that someday you’re going to look after an Omega or a Beta. Maybe another Alpha, that’s your choice, but that’s not the point. Someday, you’re going to fall in love with another person and you’ll want to keep them safe and happy. You’ll want to rub your scent all over them to make them feel protected and stay by their side all the time. It’s a beautiful, wonderful thing. But if you don’t have their permission, you need to respect their boundaries. Eren didn’t give you permission to rub your scent on him, so you need to respect his personal bubble.”

Levi groaned to himself at the inevitability of it all. Alphas didn’t do any of those things. The only Alphas he knew ran away like a coward and hurt his mother. The only Alphas he knew forced them out of their home and made them move far away. Levi wouldn’t fall in love. He wouldn’t become the one thing he hated the most.

“Levi, what do you think of Eren?” Kuchel asked out of nowhere, completely changing the subject.

It was possibly the one thing that would get Levi to talk in that moment. “He’s dirty and loud,” Levi came up with. “And he sucks at drawing.”

Kuchel laughed heartily, “He’s a nice kid. You’ll like him. He’ll be a good little neighbor and you’ll go to the same school too! Isn’t that exciting?”

Levi mumbled some sort of reply and stared out the window. The colorful suburban area faded from view and they slowly approached the city where buildings grew taller and traffic more congested. His mother always talked about leaving the city, but he never thought it’d really happen. He knew he’d miss his friends Farlan and Isabel, but that was it. A part of him was happy to get some distance away from his Alpha stepfather, though. Besides, maybe being the brat’s neighbor would be entertaining.

“So, why’d you feel like you needed to touch Eren like that, Levi?” his mother asked with a funny tone in her voice. Perhaps she figured this would be her opportunity to get an actual reply from Levi.

Levi shrugged, “I don’t know.” And he really didn’t. His body did it on its own and he didn’t even realize it was happening. He didn’t feel bad about it, either. When his mother took him away, his mind kept yelling, _“No! Stop! I wasn’t finished!”_

Finished with what, he couldn’t be sure. Either way, he was still radiating with anger that he was taken away from Eren. Only a few more nights and he’d be with him again.

When they got back home, Levi’s nose scrunched up in distaste. The entire place was heavy with a disgusting smell. His mother hesitated before moving into the apartment. Her things were stacked in boxes near the door, as were Levi’s.

“Kuchel?” a slurred, growling voice called out. His stepfather stumbled from the bedroom and into the atrium. “Why the fuck are you here?”

“I told you, we’ll be gone on Friday. Until then, we need a place to stay. You said you’d be staying with your…” Kuchel looked down at Levi before looking back up at his stepfather, “Friend.”

“What? I thought you couldn’t wait to whore yourself out for cash to live in that shitty little suburb? Or did your crack-dealing brother of yours buy you the place with his drug money?”

Kuchel put a hand over Levi’s ear and pulled him against her leg, trapping him there to muffle their voices. He could still hear them, though. “Not in front of Levi, please,” she hissed.

“I’ll do whatever I damn well please in front of the little fucker,” his stepfather snarled. “So, if you’re going to stay here, you’re going to pay the fucking price.” He strutted over and grabbed Levi’s mother by the wrist, pulling her towards the bedroom.

“Go to your room, honey,” Kuchel yelled to Levi, her voice dripping with worry. When Levi didn’t respond, she shouted, “Levi, go to your room and shut the door!”

Levi still didn’t move. His throat was vibrating with a low growl. His fists were shaking. An unhuman, threatening voice roared from his small frame, “Stop.”

Both of the adults froze, seemingly instinctively.

“That shitty fuck,” his stepfather roared, dropping Kuchel’s wrist. He stomped over as if he were trudging through deep water to Levi and slapped him across the face. “Get the fuck out before I rip his shitty throat to shreds.”

Kuchel stumbled towards Levi and the two of them grabbed what few boxes they had. They rushed back to their beaten down car and tossed their belongings in without another word. Kuchel started driving away as fast as she could and Levi stared at his lap in the back seat.

“Are we staying with Uncle Kenny again?” he asked in a whisper. Neither of them liked staying with Uncle Kenny, but it didn’t seem like they had a choice. He knew his mother didn’t have a lot of money. When she and his stepfather were together, he wouldn’t let her work. His stepfather paid for everything up until they started fighting. Since then, when the nights got bad, they’d stay with Levi’s shady uncle.

Kuchel didn’t answer. She pulled over into an empty parking lot and started sobbing into her hands, resting her forehead on the steering wheel. “I’m sorry, honey, I’m sorry,” she kept repeating.

Levi crawled up and balanced on the center console. He draped his little arms around her and let her cry onto his shirt. “It’s okay,” was all he could say. He wasn’t sure why, but he was crying too.


	2. Chapter 2

Eren clutched onto the page he and Levi had been drawing on, pacing the floor in the living room. It’d only been a few days, but he really missed him. And Eren hadn’t missed anything this much since his favorite television show got cancelled. He looked over the page again and concentrated on the corner, wondering if it was good enough. He’d made his mom teach him how to spell it all out and had her check his spelling three times. “ _To: Levi From: Eren_ ” was written in his messy scrawl.

“You swear he’s coming?” Eren asked for the tenth time, watching the walkway from the living room window just waiting to see him arrive at the front door.

“Yes, I swear!” Carla crossed her fingers over her heart. “Kuchel and Levi are going to stay here until their house is ready to move in.”

“Can Levi stay in my room?” Eren asked immediately, his mind racing with excitement.

Carla laughed, “I’ll talk to Levi’s mommy about it, Eren.”

Eren hummed in acknowledgement and leaned up against the window, pressing his nose against it to make himself look like a little piggy. He nearly knocked his head against it when he saw the car pull up into the driveway. “They’re here!” he announced in a squealing scream.

“Shh, calm down,” Grisha mussed Eren’s hair and went to meet the mother and son out at the driveway. Eren scampered behind him, falling face first onto the concrete in his rush, but flying back up to greet them without a second thought.

Kuchel got out first, offering a sleepy smile. It didn’t look like she slept much. “Thank you for this,” was the first thing she said, giving Grisha a quick, light hug.

Levi came out from around the car second. The first thing Eren noticed was the black eye decorating Levi’s face. He rushed out to Levi with tunnel vision, throwing his arms around him and yanking him into a much-anticipated embrace. For some reason, it just felt right to greet him like that, as if his body was reacting on its own.

Eren pulled away just to ask, “Wow! Levi! Did you get into a fight?”

Grisha took Eren’s hand and interrupted, “Let’s go inside, shall we?”

Eren reached out to Levi while his dad tugged him back inside. Levi sped up his pace to clasp on to Eren’s hand while all of them met up inside.

Carla raced over to hug onto Kuchel, “I’m so glad you came.”

“Thank you, Carla, really,” Kuchel softly spoke as if she were about to cry.

Eren wondered why everyone seemed so tense. Was he the only one vibrating with happiness? He was gripping onto Levi’s hand so much, it was probably hurting him. Eren let go at the thought and stuck out the now crumbled sketchpad page. “Here,” he said, waiting for Levi to take it.

Levi grabbed it and unfolded it, his eyes widening a little at the view.

Eren explained, “You could hang it up in your new bedroom.”

“Thanks…” Levi folded it back up and stuck it into his backpack for safe keeping.

“Why don’t you to go play? Just no fighting, please. I mean it this time, Eren,” Carla giggled.

Eren was all too eager to pull on Levi’s hand and take him to the garden. He’d cleaned up all his toys and laid out an old quilt for them to sit on. Levi had mentioned something about how dirty everything was and since then, Eren tried his best to keep things tidy.

The two of them sat on the blanket and Eren had to ask, “So did you get into a fight? Did you win? I bet you did!”

Levi thought for a moment and eventually nodded slowly, “Yeah, I won.”

Eren’s eyes sparkled, “That’s so _cool_! What happened?”

Levi had to think again before telling the story, “I was a better Alpha and the better Alpha always wins.”

“An Alpha? What’s that supposed to mean?” Eren leaned back to stare up at the clouds. His parents talked about it a lot and the words were thrown around in television commercials and movies. He really didn’t understand the concept and hadn’t cared to ask until that moment.

Levi snorted, “You don’t know what Alphas, Betas, and Omegas are?”

Eren shook his head, a little ashamed for not knowing.

“You’re a boy, right?” Levi started.

Eren glared at him, “Yeah, so what? Do you think I’m a girl or somethin’?”

“Okay, so there’s something else to that too. When you get older, you either become an Alpha, Beta, or an Omega.”

“Okay…” Eren still wasn’t getting it.

“Alphas are the leaders. They’re strong and take care of the others. Betas are sort of in between. Omegas are… smaller. They’re supposed to depend on Alphas and Betas. They are the ones who can have babies.”

“So, they go get them from the store or something?”

Levi pinched his nose, “You don’t know where babies come from?”

“I guess I never asked.”

“When an Omega… And an Alpha or a Beta…” Levi struggled for the right words. “They have sex and sometimes the Omega can get pregnant.”

“Sex?”

“Oh, mon Dieu,” Levi muttered, pinching his nose even harder. His cheeks began to redden.

“What? Are you okay?” Eren raised his eyebrow at Levi. Now, he was speaking in a whole different language.

“My mom says it when she gets frustrated. Okay, so you know what a penis is, right?” Levi tried again.

Eren nodded firmly, trying to make Levi feel less frustrated. He really was curious about what Levi was talking about and wanted to understand.

“So, Alphas and Betas use it to make Omegas have babies by putting it inside them.”

“Gross,” was Eren’s only reply.

“Yeah, I know,” Levi agreed. “But that’s where babies come from. And that’s what Alphas, Betas, and Omegas are.”

“Hmm…” Eren stared up at a cloud that looked like a giant person. “Are you sure that’s right?”

“Well, they definitely don’t come falling out of the sky.” Levi leaned back to look at the clouds too. A collection of particularly puffy ones was slowly passing by, giving them temporary relief from the hot sun.

“So, Alphas are the strongest ones, right?” Eren asked.

“Yep.”

“Then that’s what I want to be.”

“Well, you can’t just pick. It’s something you just are.”

Eren growled at his own genetics and threw his fist over his heart, “Well, I better be an Alpha so I can finally beat you up.”

Levi chuckled, “I don’t think that’ll ever happen.”

“Oh yeah?” Eren turned over to look at Levi fully, preparing to pounce on him.

“Your mom said not to fight,” Levi reminded him.

Eren moaned and flopped back over. “You’re no fun.”

“Plus, you’re hurt…” Levi mumbled.

“Hm?” Eren sat back up and looked down to see his scraped, bloody knee. “Oh, I didn’t… I didn’t…” His eyes watered up at the sight of the blood, but he refused to let the tears fall. He was strong, not a crybaby. He especially wouldn’t cry in front of Levi.

“Now we match,” Levi gestured towards his eye and Eren’s knee. “Battle wounds.”

Eren’s firm expression softened and he started to laugh. “Yeah, battle wounds.”

“Here…” Levi dug around in his backpack until he pulled out a bandage and a wet wipe. With expert precision, he cleaned the blood off and stuck the bandage on Eren’s knee. “That’s better, right?”

Eren nodded and hummed, observing how good Levi was at sticking bandages on. Eren’s mom always did it for him, so it was impressive that Levi could do it himself. Levi could probably do anything he wanted to and he’d probably do it the best too.

Eren grabbed one of his little toy cars nearby and started mindlessly rolling it between them. Levi kept staring up at the clouds, completely oblivious to Eren’s little game. Eren rolled the little thing across the blanket, up Levi’s arm and over his face. “What are you doing?” Levi grumbled.

“Playing.”

“Do you have to do that on me?”

“Yep, you’re the mountain.”

They went on like that for a few hours, Levi working in some impressive avalanches and Eren doing some very elaborate car flips to escape Levi’s feeble attempts to ‘squash’ Eren’s car under a pile of snow. It wasn’t something Eren was used to. He typically got most of his enjoyment from playing sports or fighting with the neighbor kids. He and Levi just laid around on the quilt, making up stories and laughing at the stupidest things. It was easy, relaxed, and Eren couldn’t remember smiling any bigger.

They were called in for dinner and they all sat around the big dining table in the room they never used. Eren’s mom made Hamburg steak, Eren’s favorite. He gobbled down mouthfuls at a time while everyone else talked around the table.

“Levi, are you excited to go to a new school?” Grisha asked with a big smile on his face.Levi looked at him with a blank expression for a few seconds. When he didn’t reply, Grisha added, “Eren is going to the same school as you, you’ll look after him, won’t you? Make sure he doesn’t get into any trouble?”

Levi perked up at that comment and nodded like a soldier would.

“Thank you, Levi,” Carla hummed and smiled. “You probably know by now how… _excited_ Eren can get.”

“ _Mom_ ,” Eren moaned in annoyance with his mouth full. The last thing he wanted was to get embarrassed in front of Levi. He needed to look just as tough as Levi was. No one needed to look after him or make sure he didn’t get into trouble. Eren could handle things by himself. Still, it would be good to have Levi there, at least. He hadn’t gotten the hang of making friends quite yet, so at least he’d see Levi out on the playground or in the hallways.

“We’ve got the guest bedroom all set up for you two,” Carla announced happily, changing the subject. “Fresh sheets and everything. And you know you can stay here as long as you need.”

“Really, you’re both too generous. I’m not sure how I’ll ever pay you back for this,” Kuchel was thanking them again. Eren wasn’t sure why it was such a big deal or why they got to stay. He was simply excited to spend more time with his new friend. Kuchel ran a hand through Levi’s hair. “Uncle Kenny’s was getting sort of old, wasn’t it? I bet Levi is much happier staying here as well.”

Levi nodded again and took the last bite of his meal.

“Does this mean Levi can sleep in my room with me?” Eren asked, drawing the attention back on himself.

Carla laughed, “I’m not so sure, Eren.”

“Why not?”

All the adults exchanged looks that Eren couldn’t understand. No one spoke until Grisha finally said, “That’s just how it has to be.”

Eren’s face scrunched up in confusion and frustration, but he let it go. Something about his dad’s expression made him want to comply and not ask any questions. The tension was finally broken when Carla brought in the desert, a scrumptious looking trifle. The adults chatted happily about movies and their jobs. Eren was fully occupied with his dessert, but sometimes he’d look up to see that Levi was staring at him funny and sniffing a lot.

After the dishes were done, they got to watch a movie together. Eren’s parents sat on the couch with Kuchel. Eren and Levi sat on the floor on a pile of cushions. Carla draped a blanket over them and they all watched the film for a while. As usual, Eren fell asleep somewhere in the middle of it. The last thing he could really remember was his father carrying him into his room and tucking him in for the night.

* * *

It was difficult for Levi to sleep. Perhaps it was because he had to share the bed with his mom or maybe because of the weird scent that seemed to be pulling him out of bed. He stared out the window at the sky of stars. For once, he could sleep somewhere where there was no yelling, no awful smells, no strangers, and no fear. He was safe in a warm, comfy bed that didn’t have any holes in the sheets. Even so, he still couldn’t sleep.

His mom was practically snoring. She sprawled out and slept with a smile on her face. Levi stared at her for a bit. For once, he didn’t have to worry about her so much. Even though he had to leave his friends in the city behind, it was worth it to keep her safe. He wouldn’t have to hear his stepfather calling her names or threatening her anymore.

Levi got out of the warmth of the blankets and padded out the bedroom door as silently as he could. He followed the scent to Eren’s room, sneaking in through the cracked door. A nightlight plugged in near Eren’s bed gave Levi enough vision to avoid stepping on the scattered toys across the carpet.

“Levi?” Eren whispered, sitting up in bed. He yawned and rubbed at his sleepy eyes, taking a few minutes to adjust to a woken state.

Levi stepped up to Eren’s bed and crawled up onto it. “Yeah,” he finally spoke.

“What are you doing here?”

“You said you wanted me to sleep in here with you.”

“I did but… is your mom okay with it?”

“I don’t know, she’s asleep.” Levi crawled up to the head of the bed next to Eren. “Scoot over.”

Eren moved over a bit so Levi could slide underneath the covers next to him. A wave of wonderful smells washed over him and all of a sudden everything was peaceful and right in Levi’s world.

Eren turned to face Levi and asked, “Why’d you come in here?”

Levi shrugged, “I don’t know. I couldn’t sleep.”

“I couldn’t either,” Eren whispered. “Something in here smells funny.”

“Good funny or bad funny?”

“Good funny,” Eren was quick to answer. “I think it’s you. You must use a lot of soap.”

“Yeah, that must be it,” Levi agreed, though he knew the truth. He was an Alpha and a strong one at that. Something in his heart told him that much was true. The only question remaining was why Eren smelled so good. Maybe he was the one using lots of soap.

Eren yawned again, “I’m glad you came, Levi. Now I can sleep. Night night.”

Just like that, he was out like a light. Levi wondered how the kid could get to sleep so fast. It normally took Levi forever to get to sleep and it was strange to him that Eren didn’t have that problem at all. Even during the movie, he slumped over onto Levi’s shoulder and dozed off just like that.

As Levi inhaled Eren’s scent, his eyes got heavier so he let them fall shut. His constantly running mind seemed to slow down. The torturously long time it took him to sleep dwindled into mere minutes before he was snoozing away.

* * *

Kuchel woke with a start, realizing her baby boy wasn’t by her side. She leapt out of the blankets and, as quietly as she could, walked from room to room of the house. He wasn’t in the kitchen or the living room. He hadn’t gone outside. The bathroom doors were all open. She peeked inside Eren’s room and saw two lumps under the covers and knew exactly what had happened.

Carla came out of the bedroom and joined Kuchel, watching over their two children. “Do you think it’s appropriate? I mean, they _are_ children…” Kuchel wondered aloud.

“They wouldn’t do anything like _that_ ,” Carla answered. “I’m sure just some scent marking for now, until they get older. Still, it’s strange for them to be like this at such a young age. Most don’t even detect scents until they’ve presented. Should we take them to the hospital?”

Kuchel shook her head, “I’m sure Levi’s awareness just rubbed off on Eren. The same thing happened with his two little friends at his old school. Still, it is odd. Levi hasn’t shown this much interest in another child… ever.”

“Neither has Eren, really. Do you think they’re…?” Carla’s voice faded off at the end.

Kuchel knew exactly what she was going to say, “A fated pair? It’s hard to say. Children are so experimental, especially those with strong genes. Besides, only an Alpha and an Omega can have such a bond.”

“That is true…” Carla mused. “Leave it to you to have a super-powered Alpha son.”

“Leave it to you to have the problem child,” Kuchel joked right back. “You and Grisha were hardcore hippies back then, it doesn’t surprise me that he has such a free spirit.”

“Oh god,” Carla covered her face with the embarrassment of her youth. The giggles faded softly and they turned on to a more serious note, a necessary conversation. “Are your divorce papers finalized?”

Kuchel nodded, “Finally.”

“And you’re okay?”

She smiled, “Yeah. Levi’s grown quite protective of me. He used word binding on the two of us.”

“Word binding on another Alpha? Kuchel, that’s _unheard_ of.”

“Not entirely, but it is rare,” Kuchel corrected with a smile, proud of her son. “He wouldn’t abuse it. I think he’s afraid of it.”

“Afraid? Really?”

Kuchel rested her head on Carla’s shoulder looking at the two, “He’s such a good boy. I wish I could have done better for him.”

“You’ve already taken the first step of getting out of that house. It only goes up from here,” Carla promised.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, thanks for reading! I always appreciate the time you take to read, comment, bookmark, ect. I love it all and it makes me smile!
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to [Mastia](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Mastia/pseuds/Mastia) for helping me figure out how old these kids are. I know nothing about children and she's saved me and this story from utter despair. <3

Levi glanced around the room nervously, hating the stale scent and how sterile everything was. The stupid white sheet of paper over the exam table crinkled every time he breathed too hard. His mother sat patiently in the chair in the corner, waiting patiently for the nurse to arrive.

“Why are we here anyway?” Levi asked, “I’m not sick.”

“I know you’re not, honey. After a lot of thought, I decided it would be a good idea to get you in for a checkup and to talk about your… development!” The word ‘development’ obviously had some sort of alternative meaning.

“This is about the Alpha-thing, huh?” Levi raised an eyebrow her, astutely calling her bluff. He hated talking about the ‘Alpha-thing’. The last thing he wanted to be was an Alpha and he hated how that seemed to be his fate. Not only would be become an Alpha, but some kind of super-Alpha.

“It’s just a little… abnormal that you’re showing the signs of an Alpha so quickly. I want us to be prepared, especially if you’re going to be spending a lot of time around kids your own age,” she put on her ‘strict parent’ voice and Levi knew there was no arguing with her. Levi decided this was somehow about Eren and decided to suck it up. If this would allow him to spend more time with Eren, he’d do it.

The nurse walked in dressed in bright blue scrubs carrying a medical chart. He smelled just as sterile and clean as the room around them which didn’t help the slight nausea in Levi’s stomach. Normally, he enjoyed the scent of a well-cleaned space but this was just overkill. There wasn’t even a touch of lemon or orange cleaner in the air, but rather an overwhelming wash of bland. “Levi, yes?” the nurse asked, jotting some things down on the chart. “And you’re here in regards of some very strong Alpha tendencies.”

“That’s correct,” Kuchel chimed in, knowing Levi wouldn’t speak for himself in front of a stranger.

“We’ve seen this once or twice in a few kids. It’s not completely abnormal, I promise,” the nurse assured, paying close attention to Levi’s black eye. “Has Levi been aggressive at all? Caused any problems or issues? Started any fights?”

“Oh, no, not my Levi,” Kuchel shook her head. It was sort of a lie. “He’s gentle and smart. He wouldn’t do anything like that.”

Levi thought back to Eren proposing a fight and winning with ease, he thought about how they tumbled through the grass in a mess of punches. Still, he never really hit Eren. More like, subdued him instead. Something told him not to hit the kid, even though he was annoying as hell. There were definitely some fights at school never mentioned to his mother, not to mention the constant fighting at home.

“Could I speak with you out in the hall?” the nurse asked with a stern voice, avoiding eye contact with Levi.

Kuchel gave him a weary smile, pat Levi on the knee, and stepped out into the hall. They left the door cracked open and he heard them take a few steps down the hall until they were out of hearing range.

He swung his legs a little, crinkling that stupid paper some more. It wasn’t like he was stupid or anything, he knew what they were talking about. The nurse would ask if anyone at home was hitting Levi. His mom would tell him they moved out and were living someone new. The nurse would be tempted to call some people to take Levi away, but his mom would cry and they’d drop the situation entirely. It wasn’t his first time in this situation.

And of course, his mother returned wiping some tears away and the nurse silently took Levi’s vitals and promised them that the doctor would see them soon.

Kuchel noticed Levi pointedly staring at her and she shook her head, “It’s fine, honey. You don’t have to worry.” He let the situation go and turned his attention to the tacky ‘rate your pain from one to ten’ poster with various drawings of faces. He wondered how anyone could really answer that question accurately.

A few quiet moments passed and a woman came in wearing a crisp, white lab coat. She looked friendly enough and didn’t smell so sanitary. Actually, she smelled pleasant and warm, like a real person. Levi relaxed a little. “Nice to meet you both, I believe we’re here to talk about Levi’s secondary gender.”

Kuchel nodded and the doctor took a seat on the stool near the computer. She typed away a little bit, pulling up some information Levi couldn’t really read. “I understand he’s attempted scent marking and encouraged a heightened response from others? And used word binding on yourself and another Alpha?”

“Yes, I decided we’d better decide how to handle these… incidents better to make sure he’s being supported as he grows up.”

The doctor nodded, “You’re right to do so. In cases like these, premature signs of presentation, it’s best to take precautionary steps. The scent marking is more of a natural instinct than anything, especially with people Levi feels close to. Kids do it all the time, sort of like ‘playing house’ in an innocent, biological way.”

“So, you don’t think we should be worrying about it? Or the fact that the other kids seem to go along with it?” Kuchel seemed relieved.

“It’s rare, that’s for sure. But it’s nothing to worry about. Levi can’t harm anyone this way, so it’s not alarming to hear he’s influencing others to ‘play house’ along with him. What I’m interested in is the word binding. You said it worked on two adults?”

“Myself and my ex-husband,” Kuchel confirmed, “Only for a moment.”

“Word binding is a very interesting and ancient adaptation Alphas used to gain dominance of a stressful situation. They emit pheromones at such an alarming rate that they start to form a tangible cloud that can temporarily paralyze a person. It’s especially effective on Omegas, and even more so on their own mates. It surprises me that it not only worked on you but an Alpha as well. It’s not unheard of, but it’s something we need to keep in mind as Levi grows up.” The doctor spun on her stool to look at Levi, finally addressing his presence, “So, Levi, how did you learn to word bind? Did someone teach you or did you pick it up yourself?”

Levi stared at her for a second and squinted, “I don’t know how to do it. I just do it when…” _When I don’t know what else to do. When I want to cry. When I’m afraid._

“Hm…” the doctor typed some more things out on the computer. She muttered, “Uncontrolled defense mechanism, benign response.” Whatever that meant. After a few quiet moments of thought she clapped her hands together. “As long as he isn’t actively abusing this trait, we won’t consider him at risk. As he gets older, we need to make sure he learns how to control it and use it in appropriate situations. Only a small percentage of Alphas carry this old genetic trait, I’m assuming you or Levi’s father have a long family lineage with this skill. It’ll be essential to teach Levi how to control it and decide when it’s appropriate to use. That task will be all up to you, as we don’t even carry programs that explore this phenomenon.”

Kuchel nodded thoughtfully and Levi was starting to feel uncomfortable. He really just wanted to go back and play with Eren, forgetting all about this stupid Alpha stuff.

The doctor tapped on her clipboard with a pen, “I’ve decided to send you home with some suppressants. It’s still really early to be even thinking about it, but if there’s ever a time the two of you feel these Alpha genes are getting out of control, you should have Levi take some. Once he’s reached a sexual maturity however, we’ll plan on starting him off on a stronger dose.”

Kuchel nodded in agreement. “You don’t think we should worry about things… _going too far_ with other kids?”

“I don’t believe Levi will even attempt anything of a sexual nature until he’s presented. He may try scent marking, but that’s the extent of it. As far as his aggression goes is up to you. Providing a secure environment for him would be a good start.”

Levi hated how judgmental the doctor seemed and all of a sudden, her warm, pleasant scent turned sour in his nose. He hopped off the table, grabbed his mom by the arm, and started pulling her out. Kuchel resisted and scolded, “Levi, we’re not finished here yet.”

“It’s fine, I can see he’s being a bit protective of you,” the doctor blushed. “I didn’t mean to bring out such a reaction and I apologize. It does comfort me to know you two share such a close bond.”

Levi kept a firm hold on his mom’s hand and glared at the doctor.

She continued regardless of Levi’s venomous gaze, “As I said before, I’ll send you home with some suppressants. If you feel he’s become overwhelmed with those pesky Alpha fits of rage, we’ll figure something else out. For now, I don’t think we have much to worry about at all.”

His mom and the doctor exchanged some more information while Levi kept his eyes pinned on the door to leave. When finally given the chance, he pulled his mom all the way out the door.

“Levi,” she kept softly reminding him, “It’s fine, it’s fine. We’ll stop at the pharmacy and then go back to the Jaegers’ house.”

The got in the car and Levi felt the familiar scents calm his nerves. He stared out the window as they drove down the block to the pharmacy and asked, “Am I broken?”

Kuchel parked in the lot and spun back to look at him, “Honey, why would you say something like that?”

Levi shrugged.

“Of course you’re not broken,” she cooed, getting out of the car. She opened the door on his side and took his hand, leading him into the pharmacy. They had to wait in a long line at a special counter, tons of people were standing around waiting to pick up their suppressants. So many scents were floating around the room, the sterility of the pharmacy could barely cover it all up.

“Is this because of dad?” Levi asked again, quietly. They only spoke of Levi’s real dad a few times as it was a forbidden topic in their old household. It always made Levi’s stepdad angry. The only thing Levi knew about his real father is that he was an artist who had to move to Paris for work.

“Your father was a wonderful Alpha with the same genes as you,” Kuchel spoke warmly. “And I know you’ll be just as wonderful as him.”

For some reason, it made Levi feel a little better.

* * *

“When is Levi coming back?” Eren pouted, stacking blocks into a huge tower that ended up taller than himself. His father sat on the couch, flipping through work papers.

“Soon, Eren,” he answered back in a bored tone. He’d been asked the question about a dozen times before, his answer always remaining the same.

“You said that forever ago,” Eren complained and crawled over to press his forehead against his father’s knee.

“By the sound of it, I’d think you _liked_ Levi,” Grisha teased, peeping out from the white sheets.

Eren growled at him, not appreciating the teasing at all. “Is he sick or something?”

“No, he’s not sick,” Grisha went back to his papers. “They’re just making sure he’s feeling okay, that’s all.”

“Well, I could have just asked him that…” Eren crossed his arms and kicked over his block tower. “He didn’t have to go away.”

“Why don’t you clean up your room while you wait?” Grisha suggested. “You did say Levi hates messes.”

Eren flew up from the carpet and raced to his bedroom. It was a lot of mess for one little boy, but he made a race out of throwing his toys into their boxes and straightening out the blankets on his bed.

“What are you doing?” the flattest of voices asked, Eren whipped around with a huge smile on his face.

“You’re back!” he tackled Levi to the floor in the most dramatic reuniting hug.

“Ouch…” Levi sat up and rubbed the back of his head.

Eren pulled away with tears in his eyes, “Did they hurt you? What happened? Are you okay?”

Levi ruffled Eren’s hair and chuckled, “I’m fine. Stop worrying.”

Eren stood quickly and scowled, “I wouldn’t have’ta worry if you didn’t go away!”

“Then I won’t go away anymore,” Levi took Eren’s hand and led him to the bedroom window. “Look, your window looks right out to mine. When I move away, you can just look through this window so you don’t have to worry.”

Eren smiled brightly and hopped up and down with excitement. “And you’ll go to school with me?”

“Yep.”

“And we can play afterwards?”

“Yeah.”

“And you’ll teach me how to fight?”

“No.”

Eren stopped hopping and stuck out his lower lip. “Why not?”

“Because your mom doesn’t want you to fight, silly.”

Eren flopped down onto his stomach in despair.

“How about I teach you how to fight when you grow up?” Levi suggested, crouching down to pat him on the head. “When you’re old like me.”

“How old are you?”

“Nine.”

Eren groaned, “But I’m only…” he paused for a second to calculate and hold up six chubby fingers. “Six.”

“That’s three years then,” Levi did the quick math. “Think you can wait that long?”

“But _Levi_ ,” Eren whined. “What if I have to fight the kids at school?”

“You don’t have to fight the kids at school.”

“I do, I do!” he tried to be as convincing as possible. Really, there were some mean kids at school. A group of them sought out to make anyone cry by pushing them or taking their things. Eren hated how they laughed while making other kids cry.

“Then I’ll fight them for you. Just come find me and I’ll kick their asses.”

Eren blushed at the curse word and nodded firmly. “Aye aye, captain!”

“What are we, pirates now?”

“Yes, sir!” Eren stood at attention and saluted. “Let’s go get some da-bloobs!”

“Doubloons?” Levi cocked his head to the side. He took Eren’s hand and led him out to the garden, “Okay, Captain Eren, let’s go get some doubloons.”

“Captain Levi!” Eren cheered, rushing out to the grassy oasis. “Moist the pails!”

“Hoist the sails,” Levi corrected, throwing a dark green quilt around Eren’s shoulders and tying it up to form a cape. Eren started running, giving lift to the makeshift cape and causing it to fly through the air with magical ease. Eren laughed with pure joy, running as fast as he could to make the cape fly.

When Eren returned from his long ‘journey’ across the yard, he brought back a handful of dandelions. “I found some gold, Captain.”

“That you did,” Levi smiled, taking the flowers from Eren’s hands. He stuck a few into Eren’s mess of brown hair, decorating it with sparks of bright, happy yellow.

Eren just laughed and reached up to gently poke at one, “Hey!”

“Boys?” Carla called from inside.

The two of them hustled in to see a lunch spread set out along the dining table. Grisha and Kuchel were already chatting and eating. Eren and Levi crawled into seats side-by-side.

“That’s a very beautiful hair style you have, Eren,” Kuchel commented with a giggle.

“Levi did it,” Eren announced proudly, taking a huge bite of spaghetti and getting sauce all over his face.

Levi shrugged in response and ate his own food in a much cleaner manner by twirling the noodles around his fork. Eren tried to do the same, only getting frustrated and stuffing his face right into the pile of pasta like a dog.

“Eren, Eren,” Carla warned before completely giving up. “Looks like my little boy has turned into a dog.”

Eren barked, playing the part.

“Dogs have to sleep outside and eat on the floor,” Levi reminded him, pointing at the ground.

Eren looked at him with big, watery puppy dog eyes. “Sleep outside?” That meant he wouldn’t be able to sleep in his room with Levi anymore.

Levi nodded.

“Eat… on the floor?” his voice lowered into even more panic. The last thing he wanted to do was leave the table and go away.

“Yeah, dogs can’t sit at the table.”

Eren mustered up a new determination to get the spaghetti strands to curl around his fork neatly. With enough patience, he finally mastered the art and ate as properly as he could.

Grisha laughed to Kuchel, “Your kid is out-parenting us. It’s making us look bad.”

Kuchel just giggled back, “Some days it’s hard to believe he’s only nine. He acts like an adult every day. Growing up too quickly, if you ask me.”

Eren agreed, Levi acted like an adult a lot. He knew big words and how to do a lot of things without any help. Even so, he was still good at playing and never bored Eren at all. Levi was interesting and kind and fun.

“So how did the doctor’s visit go?” Carla asked casually. Eren was quick to listen in.

“Levi’s behaviors aren’t usual, but they’re not harmful either. They gave us some suppressants if it gets any worse, but we’re sure he’ll be fine up until he presents.”

“So, he’s definitely an Alpha?” Grisha asked with interest.

“I’m afraid so,” Kuchel chuckled. “I’ve suspected it from the day he was born.”

“Levi’s an Alpha? For real?” Eren burst. “Then I want to be one too.”

The adults laughed at the childish comment, but Eren stayed firm to his word. He’d do anything to match up to Levi in any way he possibly could. Eren wanted to grow up and be just like him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading, I appreciate every single one of you and it makes me sooo happy to know you're enjoying this one! <3<3
> 
> Word binding is something I've read about in a few ABO fics and I've wanted to play with the idea and expand on it for so long. Some of you asked about what it was or wanted an explanation, so I hoped this chapter helped! Simply put, Alphas can 'command' others (especially Omegas) to do something and they feel an unbearable need to follow through. If you've seen/read Kamisama Hajimemashita, it's sort of the same thing as the word binding there too!
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	4. Chapter 4

Levi’s eyes drooped, trying their best to fall shut while he struggled to keep them open. It was only the second week for school and he was already completely bored. The novelty wore off when he had to drop Eren off at his classroom for the first time, realizing that days spent without him were dull and lifeless.

The other kids in his class seemed to avoid him. Whether it was his intimidating stare, the slight Alpha scent, or his aloof personality, he wasn’t completely sure. Even so, there was one girl in class who seemed completely oblivious to it all. She’d sit next to him and ask him a question every ten seconds. “Who’s that?” she asked in a hushed whisper.

Levi gave her a perplexed look and finally answered, “What do you mean?”

She pointed underneath Levi’s desk and giggled. Levi looked between his legs to see Eren curled up under his desk with a blanket. Levi took his jacket off and tossed it over Eren, shrouding him from view. He looked over to Hange who was gaping at him and shrugged. Really, he had no idea how Eren got there or why he ended up under Levi’s desk, but Levi wasn’t going to do anything about it.

A few long-ass minutes later, Eren’s teacher poked her head into the classroom. “Has Eren wandered in here again?”

Levi’s teacher looked straight towards him, walked over, and peered under Levi’s desk at the suspicious bundle. Levi gave Eren a light kick to the side to wake him up, spurring the younger from his slumber. He crawled out from under the desk and wiped the sleep away from his eyes. He looked to Levi and smiled, “Is nap time over?”

“Eren, this is the fourth time you’ve done this this week. You can’t sneak out of our classroom to be with Levi during nap time. Or lunch time. Or any other time. You two can play together during recess, lunch and after school, but no more leaving our classroom,” Eren’s teacher chided, taking his hand.

“But, L-Levi!” Eren spoke in a panicked voice, reaching out for Levi’s hand. Levi automatically took it, pulling on Eren’s arm like a human tug-of-war.

The teachers paused, unsure of how to handle the situation. They were obviously just as confused about Levi’s reaction as he was. Why had Eren’s voice forced such a reaction out of him? Levi regretfully let go of Eren’s hand and watched the teacher pull him back to the other classroom. Eren looked back at Levi with his sad, puppy dog eyes and it took all the willpower in his little body to stop himself from rushing after him.

“Why does he always do that?” Hange asked in a hushed whisper once the teacher resumed the lesson. “Is he your mate?”

Levi continued his streak of not answering her questions and doodled in his notebook. He wrote the word: _mate_ several times, testing it out. Was Eren his mate? No, that was stupid. Mates gave each other marks on their necks and got married and had kids. Eren wasn’t Levi’s mate. Eren was… something completely different. Levi just wasn’t sure what that was. He chalked it up to: annoyingly cute brat that followed him around everywhere.

“Is he your little brother?” Hange asked, a little more skeptical.

Levi gave her a funny look and answered right away, “No.” Eren wasn’t his brother at all. He decided to give her a real response before she got them in trouble for talking again, “He’s my neighbor.” Levi heavily crossed out the word _mate_ from his notebook, scraping his pencil back and forth until it was wiped from existence.

 

Recess always ended up the same way too. Levi would be followed by Eren and Hange no matter what he did. He’d tell Eren to go play with the kids from his class and Eren would start to cry. Levi would have to console him and assure him that he didn’t have to leave. Levi would then tell Hange to get lost, but she would just ignore him and start up a fun little game with Eren like tag or picking the dandelions and rubbing their petals across their hands and arms to turn them yellow.

On that particular day, Eren actually paid attention to people outside of Levi and Hange. He was carefully watching a little blond kid who usually sat by himself and read during their recesses. A few kids approached the kid and started yelling. Eren bolted straight towards the confrontation without a second thought. And, of course, Levi and Hange were quick to follow.

Eren was already throwing punches at the group of three boys. “Give. It. Back!” Eren yelled at them with every punch he threw. Unfortunately for him, his weak little punches didn’t cause any damage to the older kids. They just laughed even more and pushed Eren down next to the blond boy.

Kids were so sadistic. Levi glared at the three and put himself in between the two boys on the ground and the bullies. He crossed his arms and clenched his jaw, trying to contain himself. His entire body wanted to fly at the three, to slash them down and teach them a lesson. It seemed his presence did the trick enough as they all shuffled off without another word. Even Levi could tell his own pheromones were out of control again, radiating a threatening warning. The scent was strong enough to speak for Levi: _Stay away from my kin. Leave. Now._

Hange was kneeling down to Eren and the other boy, making sure they were both okay. Apparently, it took a little more than a little fall to crush Eren’s spirits. He growled like a dog, hopped up, and started chasing after the boys. “That’s right, you better run!” he threatened. Levi grabbed him by the back of his collar to stop him from the wild goose chase. Eren crashed into Levi’s side and complained, “Hey!”

“Know when a fight isn’t worth it,” Levi instructed, hoping it’d calm Eren down a little. It was a lesson he’d learned the hard way and he hoped he could spare Eren the pain of learning it.

“T-thank you!” the blond kid stood, bowing to his three heroes. “My name is Armin. I… They…”

Eren didn’t make Armin explain. He set a hand on his shoulder and smiled at him like a goon. “You were really brave back there,” Eren praised. “You didn’t even cry or anything.”

Armin’s eyes went wide with admiration and Levi could tell right away they had unintentionally made a new friend. What Levi enjoyed most about the new tagalong was how on some days, he could actually get Eren to sit down and stop trying to escape the playground for once. Armin brought out books about faraway places and adventure. Hange would enthuse about all the different kinds of animals and people who would live in the areas. Eren would talk about all the dangerous adventures he’d go on. Levi would sit back quietly, enjoying a recess without having the stress of keeping Eren and Hange somewhat under control.

And suddenly, a new shadow started following them around. “Who’s that?” Levi asked Eren, “Someone from your class?”

They’d attracted a stalker of sorts, a girl who looked to be around Eren’s age with long dark hair and an overall composed aura about her.

“Yeah, that’s Mikasa,” Eren explained. “She doesn’t talk a lot. I don’t know if she has any… friends…” the thought came to Eren naturally and he went off to her. After a few minutes of blabbering, he grabbed her hand and drug her back to the group. “She’s our friend now.”

She scowled at Levi, setting him on edge. But then she smiled at Eren and Levi figured she was tolerable enough. Now Eren had some of his own friends in his class and Levi could worry a little less. Eren didn’t have to be alone in his classroom, he had people to keep him company.

 

Eren didn’t end up underneath Levi’s desk much anymore, something Levi sort of missed once in a while. Hange noticed too and only mentioned it once. Levi just gave her a sour look and she never asked about it again.

However, they still all sat together at one of the round, plastic tables during lunch. Some people made fun of Levi and Hange for eating with the ‘little kids’ but Hange found the trio too endearing to care and by then everyone learned not to mess with Levi.

“You’re making a mess…” Levi wiped off Eren’s face with a napkin.

“You’re not my _mom_ ,” Eren whined, letting Levi clean off his face.

“Wipe my face too, mom!” Hange tugged at Levi’s sleeve jokingly. Levi shoved the napkin in her face and took the last few bites of his sandwich.

A blond boy Levi recognized from his class approached them with a cocked eyebrow. He sat up front and answered the teacher’s questions formally, he was never late, and tended to hang out with the other boys in class. Levi hadn’t talked to him once and looked him up and down, wondering if he wanted to fight or something.

“Erwin!” Hange exclaimed with a huge smile. “Are you here to help me with English?”

He nodded and took the empty seat next to Hange, pulling out his homework to compare answers.

Erwin looked at the diverse group and cocked his head to the side, “You guys always play together, don’t you? Why?”

Hange pointed to Eren, “That’s Levi’s neighbor, Eren. They’re always together.”

“Not always,” Eren defended himself.

“Did you sneak into class to nap?” Erwin asked him.

Eren smirked confidently, “Yeah, so what?”

Erwin just laughed and shook his head as if he were enjoying a private joke. “Nothing. It’s cool you could avoid getting caught for so long.”

Eren giggled victoriously and crunched on a slice of apple. “I’m the best ninja there is.”

“You’re the _loudest_ ninja there is,” Levi corrected, making Hange and Erwin laugh.

And then there were six.

 

Levi always held Eren’s hand as they waited for one of their parents to pick them up. They waited in front of the school and waved goodbye to their friends as they either took the bus, walked home, or were picked up by their parents. Often times, Eren would talk Levi’s ear off about all the things that happened to him that day (even if Levi was there for it).

Eren was staring hard at the sidewalk and asked, “Why don’t you play with the older kids more?”

Levi squinted at him in confusion, “What?”

“You play with me and Mikasa and Armin all the time. Sometimes Hange and Erwin, but…” Eren poked at the cement with the tip of his shoe. “Don’t you want to play with the older kids?”

“No,” Levi answered simply, bumping into Eren. “I want to play with you.”

The question never came up after that. Eren smiled a little at Levi’s answer and continued his long-winded explanation of the day.

 

With joined backyards, it was easy for the two of them to spend the rest of their afternoons playing together. Levi chased a wildly giggling Eren around the yard, letting the younger speed away every time he got close to catching up. They’d find pictures in the clouds. Eren would play in the mud and Levi would watch from a safe distance. The days went by so peacefully, it almost put Levi on edge. Things couldn’t be so wonderful forever. Eventually, he knew, the darkness would return somehow.

Once dinnertime came, the two would part ways for the day. Eren would usually hug Levi goodbye, the hugs lasting far too long. Levi would have to pry Eren off of him and pinky promise he’d see him the next day. After enough bartering, they’d head back to their respective homes for the rest of the day.

“Levi, how was your day at school?” Kuchel asked, serving them both a bowl of tomato soup.

Levi ate it all up heartily, tired from chasing Eren around all day. “Good,” he settled with.

“What did you learn?”

“Nothing.”

“Oh, Levi,” Kuchel sighed, “You had to have learned _something_.”

Levi shrugged and focused on his meal. School bored him to death and the only things he looked forward to were lunch, recess, and going home. He could hardly sit still in his classes and could barely focus on anything in particular. Besides Hange and Erwin, everyone else in his class avoided him like the plague.

“Levi, you remember that week three months ago where I had you stay with Uncle Kenny for a while?” Kuchel started carefully.

Levi vividly remembered the week spent with his uncle learning about the ‘best things in life’ as Kenny called them: sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Levi sat quietly, drawing in his sketch books while Kenny brought home various Omegas, bought and sold drugs, and had loud music playing almost constantly. His face fell when he realized where his mother was going with this.

“I’ll have to go somewhere special for another week soon. Would you be okay staying with the Jaegers? They’d be more than happy to let you stay, especially since you wouldn’t have to go so far away from home.”

Levi nearly stood from the table, “Yes.”

Kuchel laughed, “I figured you’d prefer that to staying with Kenny again.”

After dinner and homework, Levi strode through the two-bedroom, two-bath home to get ready for bed. He let his fingers trail across the floral wall paper and the plush carpeting felt warm against his feet. It was difficult feeling so safe and happy, a part of him didn’t want to accept that things were finally looking up.

He was brushing his teeth when he heard his mom on the phone.

“Yeah, that’s two thousand per day. My heats usually last a full seven days every three months. We can’t spend it here; my son would be too affected by the scents. Your place then? Okay…” Kuchel’s hushed voice was no match for Levi’s superior eavesdropping skills.

He wasn’t so sure what she was talking about, but he could make a good guess. He finished brushing his teeth and tucked himself into bed. Eventually, his mom would come in and kiss him goodnight, but he didn’t think he could wait that long. He tried to keep the thoughts of guilt and blame away, but they weighed down on his heart and kept him awake. He decided on his usual tactic of thinking about Eren and his silly antics for the day. As always, it was his magic drug that could always lull him right to sleep.

* * *

“Levi? Staying here? For a _whole week_?” Eren enthused, practically screaming with excitement.

“Yeah, do you think you’d be okay with that?” Carla asked, laughing at her son’s enthusiasm.

“Yes!” Eren jumped on his bed. “Yes, yes, yes!”

Carla scooped him up in her arms and tucked him under the blankets for the third time that night. “But, if you don’t behave, he won’t be able to come over. Will you be extra good from now on?”

The bribery never failed. “Yes!” Eren yelped. He thought about using his ‘inside voice’ and lowered his volume to a whisper, “Yes.”

Carla kissed his forehead and ruffled his hair, “Good. I love you, Eren. Sweet dreams.”

Eren murmured a sleepy response and snuggled into the pillows and blankets.

Carla met with Grisha out in the kitchen and smiled warmly, “He’s fast asleep.”

“Finally,” Grisha sighed. They’d taken every-other shifts on who had to re-tuck Eren into bed. “His boundless energy bewilders me.”

“I made him promise to behave to prove to us he can handle Levi staying with us for the week of Kuchel’s heat,” Carla grinned.

“You’re so smart,” Grisha praised, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “You win the best parent award today.”

“Those two are just like two peas in a pod,” Carla hummed, finishing up some of the dishes. “It makes me think…”

“I know, I think so too,” Grisha agreed. “But Eren as an Omega?”

“Improbable, but possible. Maybe he’ll calm down as he grows up.” Grisha gave her a look of disbelief and Carla laughed, “Okay, maybe not. He’s not exactly the most stereotypical Omega out there.”

“It does explain a lot though. Do you think we have to worry about those two at all? I’m assuming they’ll both end up in the same bed like always.”

Carla shook her head, “Levi’s a good boy. He’s more responsible than most adults I know. He’d never hurt Eren.”

“He’s not the one I’m worried about,” Grisha gestured towards Eren’s room. “He can be a persistent little guy.”

“I think we can trust them,” Carla spoke thoughtfully. “They haven’t even presented yet. Once that happens, we’ll have to set some boundaries for sure.”

“At least he stopped sneaking into Levi’s classroom to sleep under his desk,” Grisha added lightheartedly. “Apparently he’s getting along with some of the kids in his class.”

“It’s definitely an improvement. Levi has been a good influence despite the things he’s been through. Only the gods know what he’s endured between the father that walked out on them, Kuchel’s ex-mate, and Kuchel’s shady brother,” Carla worried like only a mother could. “But seeing how much he loves Kuchel and how patient he is with Eren, it’s nothing short of a miracle.”

“Did Eren tell you Levi taught him where babies come from?” Grisha asked.

“Oh, yes. It saves us an awkward conversation down the road,” she joked. “That pair… I hope they stay close for a long, long time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed these little day-to-day snippets! <3 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everybody! I just wanted to mention here, there is a scene that describes child abduction. I'm sorry for the slight spoiler, but I do want to make sure you are aware of the fact! I wish you happy reading, thank you for everything <3

Due to the fact that Levi and Eren spent most of their time together, their daily lives wouldn’t change drastically when Levi came to live with the Jaegers for the week. Even so, Eren was electrified with excitement and joy to spend all his time with his neighbor. He also didn’t have any inhibitions about telling everyone at school either.

During recess, he was racing around with Mikasa and Armin when he overheard some kids approach Levi.

“You’re staying with that little kid Eren for a week? Wouldn’t that get annoying?” one of them asked with a laugh. “I mean, he hangs off you so much already. I bet he gets annoying.”

Eren wrinkled up his face at the word _annoying_. He’d never thought of himself as annoying before, though sometimes his parents joked that he might annoy Levi by being around him so much. They spent almost every waking moment together from their ride to school to the few hours of playing before dinner.

“Eren?” Armin asked, giving him a poke to the side.

Eren spun around to his friend and threw on a smile, though he was still a bit worried. They resumed their little game of cops and robbers (Mikasa won singlehandedly, as always). The three of them sat on the swings, half the playground away from where Levi, Hange, and Erwin had gone to play kickball with the rest of their class.

“Am I annoying?” Eren asked, the thought still heavy on his mind.

“No,” Mikasa was the first to answer. “Who said you were annoying?”

“No one,” Eren lied.

“Was it Levi?” Mikasa asked, a little more seriously.

“No!” Eren quickly defended his friend.

“Levi acts annoyed all the time,” Armin thought. “But I don’t think he’s really annoyed.”

“Really?” Eren pushed for some kind of affirmation that Levi didn’t find him annoying.

Armin shrugged, “I don’t know. Just guessing.”

Mikasa draped her legs over the bars so she could swing upside down. “Why did you think you were annoying then?”

“I just did.” Eren climbed down from the playground equipment and kicked at the woodchips. “What if I _am_ annoying?”

“You’re not, though,” Armin hopped down to join him.

Mikasa flipped off the bar onto the ground. She put a hand on Eren’s head, “Yeah, you’re not. Stop thinking about it so much.”

Their assurances were nice, but they didn’t sweep the worry away. Everyone was shuffled back to class. Normally, Eren would run up to Levi and say goodbye until they got off school, but Eren hid in the crowd and scurried straight to his classroom instead.

At the end of the school day, all the kids were rushing out screaming. For a Friday, it made sense as the students were ecstatic and the teachers were simply relieved. Eren nervously met up with Levi at the front doors. The two of them walked up to the sidewalk quietly before Levi finally asked, “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” Eren answered, staring at his feet.

“No, you’re not,” Levi called him out on the lie. His tone was still low and calm as always.

Eren looked up at him with nervous eyes and a quivering lip. “No, I’m fine,” he tried again.

“Eren, you haven’t talked this whole time. You smell sad. You look like you’re about to cry. What’s wrong?”

“Stupid Levi smelling me…” Eren muttered, crossing his arms in a huff.

“It’s not my fault. You’re the smelliest kid here,” Levi returned, equally defensive.

“I’m _not_ smelly,” Eren contested, stamping his foot onto the pavement and facing Levi.

“ _Yes_ , you are!” Levi flicked him on the forehead.

Eren jumped back and covered his forehead with his hands, “Hey, stop it!”

Those same kids that had talked to Levi earlier approached them laughing. “He even _sounds_ annoying,” one of them sneered.

“ _Hey, stop it_!” another mocked in a whiny, high-pitched tone in an attempt to imitate Eren.

Levi took Eren’s hand and yanked him closer. “I told you once. Stop making fun of Eren. Are you so stupid you can’t get that through your skulls?” Levi sounded… annoyed. Not at Eren, but at the people making rude comments.

“What are you going to do? Really? You act tough but you’re a loser who hangs out with babies,” one scoffed. “Idiots.”

“Shut your fucking trap,” Levi pushed Eren behind him to grab the group’s ‘leader’ by the collar. “Or I’ll shut it for you.”

“Hey, hey, hey! What’s going on here?” one of the teachers was quick to push the two boys away from one another. Levi stumbled back, almost crashing into Eren. The other kid just smiled.

“Levi was being mean,” the kid accused, going as far as pointing at Levi and sniffling. “He said a bad word too.”

The teacher turned her attention to Levi. “Is this true?”

When Levi didn’t say anything, Eren burst in, “He was just protecting me!”

“From what?” one of the kids hollered. “We weren’t doing anything!”

At that moment, Carla was walking up to the scene. “What’s… going on here?” she asked, observing the standoff.

The teacher sighed, “It looks like there was a bit of a fight between the kids.”

“I’ll talk to them,” Carla promised. “Are they in too much trouble?”

“It doesn’t look like anyone’s hurt, so we’re fine. You two just go on home.” The teacher ushered Levi and Eren towards Carla so she could drive them back to the house.

During the car ride, Eren explained in full detail what happened (leaving out the part where Levi used a bad word). He tried to convince her it wasn’t Levi’s fault at all (which it wasn’t) and that if he hadn’t done anything, they might have hurt someone. Carla listened quietly and carefully until Eren had run out of breath and words to spout.

“I don’t normally encourage fighting…” Carla muttered at first before her voice became sunny and warm, “But I won’t say anything to your mom, Levi. Thank you for keeping Eren safe. Next time, however, maybe tell a teacher before resorting to brute force. That goes for you two, Eren!”

Eren beamed with pride at avoiding any trouble during Levi’s stay and Levi even smiled a little too. When they got home, they were sent to do homework before playing. The two of them lay on their stomachs in the living room, scribbling in their notebooks. Eren was supposed to be practicing his handwriting, as it was deemed ‘atrocious’ and ‘illegible’, whatever that meant. Levi was doing something with numbers, but Eren had no idea why there were letters in math problems.

He slowly became entranced with every scratch of Levi’s pencil and how neatly his numbers and letters came out. His eyes remained pinned on Levi’s notebook until he got tapped in the head by his pencil. “Hey, get your stuff done. You wanted to play today, didn’t you?”

“It’s too boring,” Eren whined, his forehead dropping to the carpet in defeat.

“Looks like I’ll have to find some other brat to play with…” Levi hummed, tapping his pencil on his notebook. “Who should it be?”

Eren whined and tried to get back to work, pouting the entire time.

“If you get it done now, we don’t have to do it during the weekend,” Levi kept telling him, encouraging him to do his best and persevere. He denied Eren’s request to do it for him several times, offering to help once or twice when he was really struggling.

“Oh, I forgot to mention,” Carla poked her head into the living room with a huge smile. “We got a set of free tickets to the amusement park tomorrow. Are you two wanting to go?”

Eren leapt from his spot and cheered, “Yeah!”

Levi just chuckled from his spot on the floor and nodded, watching Eren get overexcited about the idea. He tapped Eren on the head with his pencil and urged, “Now you _really_ have to get your homework done.”

* * *

Levi hadn’t ever been to an amusement park before, but he’d seen them in movies and in books. There were tons of people buzzing from place to place, screaming and yelling kids, and sleepy-looking parents. There were huge spinning wheels and roller-coasters speeding down their metal tracks. Little streets were lined with shops and places to eat, nearly drowning out the overwhelming scents of Alphas, Betas, and Omegas with fried foods and candies.

It was an amazing place to people-watch. There were Alphas and Omegas on dates and Betas with children running at their feet. Groups of high schoolers run around with their friends and employees dotted the pavement. Even so, Levi’s eyes were always pinned on Eren.

“Make sure to hold Levi’s hand,” Carla warned for the tenth time that Saturday morning. Her instruction had Eren gripping Levi’s hand extra tightly, yanking him forward through the crowd.

“I am!” Eren called back, weaving through the people until he stopped at a ride he’d been dying to go on. It was a huge spiraling swing with lights and music, as it spun around the swings flew out wide through the air. They waited in line and the two of them sat on one swing with Carla and Grisha getting on the one behind them. They waited patiently for everyone to get on and finally the machine started turning.

Eren had one hand clenching onto the harness and the other still on Levi’s hand as they swung out into the air. “It’s like we’re flying, Levi!” Eren cheered, giggling like mad.

“Yeah, it is,” Levi agreed, marveling at the land beneath them. Soaring through the air with Eren made everything down below disappear, his worries becoming weightless as the wind. All he could hear was the symphony of Eren’s giggles and the breeze around them.

When the ride ended, the kids were left to sit on a picnic table while Carla and Grisha ordered them some food nearby, leaving Eren in Levi’s trusted care.

“Whoa, Levi, Levi, Levi!” Eren hopped up on top of the table to get a better view of a little parade. There was a marching band, dogs doing tricks along the route, and a few little floats with various mascots and waving employees on board. “Puppies!” Eren hopped off the table and bolted towards the parade to get a better view.

“Eren!” Levi called out, chasing after him. He squeezed past sweaty bodies and ran as fast as he could, his heart beating faster and faster with every step. When he finally got to the street, Eren was nowhere in sight. Levi bit his lip and took off in another direction, hoping to catch a glimpse of that mop of brown hair or that wide smile. “E-Eren?” he tried again, waiting for some kind of sign.

Levi made it towards the end of the little street and panted for breath with tears in his eyes. With the dull roar of the crowd behind him, he tuned in to a new conversation.

“This one’s really cute,” he heard a gruff voice mutter. “And alone…”

“Think he’s an Omega? He’s too young to tell,” another one asked.

“No, I can tell. He is. Covered in an Alpha’s scent, but he is.”

“Imagine the cash we could get from this one… Look at those eyes.”

Eren’s whimpering voice stuttered, “I-I need to go back to Levi.”

“We’ll take you to him,” one of them promised, their voice laced with lies. “We know e _xactly_ where he’s at.”

“Oh, really?” Eren sounded a bit more hopeful.

Levi rounded the corner to see a man and a woman with a wide-eyed Eren between them. The area was close to the parking lot and practically deserted due to the parade.

“Let’s go take you back to Levi,” the woman took Eren’s hand, pulling him towards the parking lot roughly.

“Eren!” Levi called out, running towards them. Eren’s head whipped around Levi could see that he’d been crying.

“Levi!” Eren grinned, taking a step back to run after him.

The woman kept a firm hold and Eren ended up falling to the ground. She yanked him by the arm to his feet, causing Eren to yelp with pain. “We’re _going_ now,” she hissed, expressing a potent Alpha scent that would scare away anyone.

“ _Stop_ ,” Levi shouted, stern and level. All of them froze in place and Eren started shaking. “ _Let Eren go,”_ Levi instructed.

The woman promptly dropped Eren’s arm, but Eren still wasn’t moving. Levi grit his teeth. Why wasn’t Eren running? Why wasn’t he escaping? “ _Come on, Eren_ ,” Levi retained his tone, terrified that Eren wouldn’t come back to him. In that instant, Eren came racing back towards Levi, taking his hand and holding it like a vice grip.

Levi turned to see Carla and Grisha standing and staring at him with wide eyes, stuck in place as well. Grisha had his cell phone out, as if he were about to call someone. Carla had her mouth open, ready to shout. Levi glanced between everyone frozen around him and started to shake. Eren’s tight hold on his hand started to hurt and it was probably hurting Eren as well. All he could sense was fear from both himself and Eren, which only caused the anxieties to escalate.

“I-I’m sorry,” Levi whispered, the tension in his body falling limp.

The two people who tried to take Eren away ran and Levi could hear Grisha talking to the police on the phone, giving a vivid description of the two including the car they ran into. Carla knelt to the ground and held out her arms for Eren to run into. The moment she did, Eren dropped Levi’s hand and ran towards her sobbing. Levi stood still, realizing what he had done and feeling nothing but guilt and terror.

The ride home was silent and Eren sat far from Levi, looking as small as possible.

 

Carla and Grisha tried their best to brighten the mood when they got home, avoiding the subject of what had happened and commenting on their dinner and the fun they had had on the various rides. It was obvious they had no idea how to fully handle what had happened, but Levi wasn’t going to judge. He had no idea how to handle it either.

They checked Eren over and made sure he wasn’t hurt and tried to get him to talk about what happened, but Eren kept a tight lip and kept avoiding eye contact with everyone. The thick scent of anxiety surrounded him wherever he went and Levi’s stomach churned every time he breathed it in. He couldn’t shake the feeling that this was all his fault.

He was kindly sent to bathe, brush his teeth, and change into pajamas before bed. In doing so, he overheard the family’s discussion.

“We told you again and again not to talk to strangers or run off. What happened, honey?” Carla softly spoke, she was the most difficult to hear.

Eren replied in a series of sobs and hiccups, “There was a parade and p-puppies… I went to go see, but then I got l-lost…”

“And then what happened?” Grisha asked.

“Those p-people were talking about me. They said I was an Omega and they were going to take me back to… back to…” Eren sniffled.

Some more soft sound and encouragements followed and Levi hoped they weren’t being too mean to Eren. He was about to come out of the bathroom when he heard Eren ask, “Is Levi mad at me?”

“Oh, no, honey! He’s not mad!” Carla was quick to answer, making Levi sigh in relief.

“He was just trying to protect you,” Grisha added. “I think you scared him quite a bit.”

Levi tried to open up the bathroom door as quietly as possible as to not draw attention to himself. Eren noticed, though. He looked at him with watery eyes and ran so fast he crashed into Levi, hugging him as fast as he could. “I won’t run away again,” Eren cried out the promise, drenching Levi’s shirt in tears. “Please don’t hate me. I’m… s-sorry…”

Levi looked to Eren’s parents, unsure of what to do. Eren’s scent was drenched in distress and it started to convince Levi he’d done something wrong again.

Grisha walked towards them and ruffled Levi’s damp hair, “Thank you, Levi. You did a really good thing back there.”

Carla hugged the two of them, wrapping them all up in a tight bunch. “We can’t thank you enough. We love you so much. You take such good care of Eren.” They’d never told Levi they’d loved him before and it honestly felt like a ray of hope in the darkness.

The bed set up for Levi in the living room went abandoned as Eren toted Levi in to sleep with him instead. While most of the trauma seemed to have disappeared, Levi could tell Eren was still thinking about it all. He tossed and turned in the blankets, huffing every time he couldn’t get comfortable or was spurred into motion again.

“What if they come back?” Eren eventually whispered, somehow knowing Levi was awake and able to respond.

“They won’t,” he assured simply. “They don’t know where you live.”

“What if they do?”

“They don’t.”

“But what if they _do_? Will you use your super powers to stop them?”

Levi thought for a second and had to ask, “Did I scare you?”

Eren was quiet for a moment, which Levi grew to fear. The little omega hardly ever wasted a second to actually think about his response. Eventually, he shuffled a little closer to Levi and bumped their heads together. “No.”

“Really?”

Eren hummed and yawned, “Really, really.” He stretched his arms and ended up hitting Levi in the face.

“Good,” Levi decided. “Then if they come, I’ll stop them. Every time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for all your support <3 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	6. Chapter 6

“Levi, could you walk Eren back to his classroom?” Levi’s teacher requested for the fourth time that week. Ever since the incident over the weekend, Eren returned to spending his naptime under Levi’s desk.

Eren’s parents had a talk with their teachers and the situation and they made the decision to let Eren spend his half-hour nap under Levi’s desk as long as he wasn’t bothering anyone. He’d drag his mat and blanket into the room as quietly as he could, sneak under the desk and fall into a quick snooze without anyone really noticing anymore. Once his half-hour was up, Levi would walk him back to his classroom and drop him off.

Eren had said there was no way he was going to sleep without Levi and downright refused to even lay down with the other kids in his class. Apparently, without Levi there he’d have nightmares about the incident and would wake up crying. He was too embarrassed to cry in front of his class again and too stubborn to just lay there and not sleep.

Levi tapped Eren with his foot a few times until he started yawning and wiping at his eyes. He crawled out from under the desk, clutched onto his mat and blanket, and followed Levi down the hallway.

“No nightmare this time?” Levi asked, just to be sure.

“No,” Eren shook his head adamantly, “I don’t get them when you’re there.”

The two of them stopped in the middle of the hallway and Levi stared at their feet. “You don’t care? I… forced you to do something… and you don’t care?” The word-binding still bothered Levi and he hated controlling Eren like that. He would hate it someone coerced him into doing something and would hate it even more if his body reacted without thought, yet Eren seemed completely unfazed.

“You saved me,” Eren grinned at him with big, innocent eyes.

“If you say so,” Levi sighed, dropping him off at the front door. “See you after school. Meet me up front, like always.”

“Okay!” Eren rushed into his classroom. It looked like they were gathered around the teacher for a story, which Eren loved. Levi smiled and headed back to his own classroom where they were doing less interesting mathematics.

 

When they met up at the end of the day, it was Kuchel’s turn to pick the two up and take them home. The moment Levi saw the car she arrived in, he tensed and took Eren’s hand in his to pull him a few inches behind Levi.

Kuchel got out of the passenger’s seat and greeted the two boys with a cheerful smile, “Ready to go?”

Levi looked back and forth between her and the Alpha in the driver’s seat, the question all too clear.

Kuchel just smiled and laughed in the most carefree manner, “Oh, Levi, it’s brilliant. Rod and I are back together.”

He just squinted and waited for some kind of explanation, but Kuchel was hustling them into the backseat so they could get a move on. Eren was oddly quiet, looking between Levi and the new stranger. Levi reached over to put on his seat belt as Eren was too preoccupied to think anything of it.

“Who’s your new friend, Levi?” Rod asked, peering at Eren through the rearview mirror.

Levi just glared and wanted to hide Eren a blanket or something. The man in the driver’s seat looked too friendly and seemed too interested in Eren. It pissed Levi off to no end and he crossed his arms in order to keep himself from grabbing Eren and pulling him closer.

“Levi,” Kuchel warned with a soft voice.

“I’m Eren,” Eren decided to answer for himself to spare Levi any trouble.

“Ah, how old are you, Eren?”

“Six,” Eren answered dutifully. “How old are you?”

Rod laughed as he’d probably never been questioned like that by a six-year-old before. “Much, much older than you. Are you and Levi best friends?”

Eren paused and scrunched up his face, “Levi’s my mate.”

All eyes were on Eren and Rod almost crashed the car into the vehicle in front of them. Kuchel laughed to lessen the tension, “Your mate, Eren?”

Eren nodded and spoke quite seriously, “Someone asked about mates in class today. My teacher said mates protect each other, so Levi’s my mate.”

The tension eased but Levi still felt on edge. The word seemed to eat through all his thoughts: _mate, mate, mate._ It felt correct and elating even, putting any of this tense emotions towards Rod to rest. His hands shook and he clamped onto his thighs to get them to stop.

“I don’t think that makes Levi your mate, Eren,” Kuchel explained with a laugh, “I think it makes you very best friends.”

Eren’s demeanor took a rapid turn. Levi could smell each little emotion and pick them out. Disbelief, disappointment and finally frustration. “B-but, but…”

Kuchel went on to further explain, “Mates love each other, get married, and have children with one another. They’re together forever. You make that promise with a marking on each other’s necks and are connected, even when you’re apart.”

It didn’t seem to console Eren one bit and Levi started to get upset at the adults for distressing his friend. The sharp tinges of Eren’s scent struck him and forced his body into action, emitting out his own pheromones to sooth and protect.

“Fucking hell,” Rod swore, rolling down his window. “Smells terrible in here.”

Kuchel turned to look between Levi and Eren. “Eren, are you okay?”

“I want Levi to be my mate,” he crossed his arms and stuck out his bottom lip. The pout didn’t even begin to express the real turmoil Eren was feeling in his gut and Levi knew it based solely on his scent alone.

The most offensive part of it all was Rod’s scent combating with Levi’s for dominance. Rod emit a distasteful scent, one that aimed to dominate and cancel out all others, leaving his in its place. Levi’s was sweet and warm, something aimed to soothe and heal. Along with Eren’s sour displeasure, the car filled up with a hot mixture of unpleasant odors.

Kuchel and Rod let all the windows down to help neutralize the scents and Levi’s chest rumbled uncomfortably. He was more than happy when they pulled into the driveway. He snapped Eren’s seatbelt off for him and practically dragged him out of the vehicle and walked him across the front yard to his front door.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, unsure of how to calm Eren down before delivering him to his parents.

“You don’t want to be my mate?” Eren’s voice grew higher with his anxiety and the tears didn’t stop rolling down his cheeks.

Levi sighed and just wanted Eren to stop crying, his scent was making Levi dizzy and pushing his body to do things he wasn’t sure he wanted to do. “I’ll be your mate when we’re older,” he promised. “But it’ll be our secret, so don’t tell anyone.”

Eren wiped his tears with the hem of his shirt and sniffled, “Could you come play today?”

Levi glanced back to his own house where a new, complicated situation awaited. “Maybe later. I’ll come ring the doorbell if I can.”

Eren nodded stiffly and went inside, his parents already asking him about his day and wondering why he was crying. Levi wondered what Eren would say, but was already on his way back to his own house. He crossed the freshly cut lawns and let himself in through the open garage, finding Rod and his mother sitting at the dining table.

“Come sit with us for a minute, honey,” Kuchel pulled out the chair next to her with Rod on the opposite side grimacing.

Levi followed his mother’s instruction, glaring all the while. Rod wasn’t a nice Alpha and didn’t belong in their house. After his dad left, Rod showed up just like this- completely out of the blue and brought nothing but terror and pain into their lives. He’d seen him hit his mother and Rod had hit Levi himself. He acted kind and nice, buying them presents and playing the role of his father for a while. But sooner or later, he was sure to turn on them. The cycle had happened twice before and Levi was matured enough to see it happening all over again.

“Levi, Rod is very sorry for what had happened. Things were stressful at his job and he brought that stress home with us. He knows it wasn’t right to take it out on us. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive him. He’s going to try again for us,” Kuchel used a delicate tone, coaxing Levi into obliging. She wasn’t giving him a choice, she was warning him.

His eyes scanned the two mating marks on her neck. One, she’d told him, was from his real father. The mark was fading now, barely there but still clinging on. Apparently, he was called away overseas to paint something for some important people. Kuchel had only told him the story once to satisfy his curiosity. The second mark was very close, as if he’d been aiming to cover up the first. Rod’ s mark was sloppy as he’d torn at his mother’s skin to create a bold, visible scar.

The possibilities of what Levi really wanted to say were colored with curse words he wasn’t allowed to say and hard truths that his mother seemed to ignore. Instead, he just got up from his chair and mumbled, “I’m going to my room.”

He slammed the door behind him and locked it, dropping his fake calm and releasing his true feelings. The bedroom was rather neat, and he looked over the various pictures he and Eren had drawn hung up on the walls, the plain grey bedding, and the tidy bookshelf in the corner. His desk had a few books on it and he grabbed one impulsively, chucking it at the opposite wall. Once that bout of anger subsided, he sat on his bed and pulled a pillow into his lap, throwing his face into it to let out a frustrated scream.

_Why?_

Why did the one person who Levi truly hated have to walk back into their lives? Why did he have to touch his mother and make her smile with lies? Why would she pretend nothing was wrong, that nothing bad had ever happened before? Why did she trust him?

Would Rod make them move away? Would he hit his mother again or make her cry again? Would he lock Levi away in his room like he’d done so many times before, not letting him out no matter how hard he screamed? Would he do anything to Eren?

Levi glanced out his window across the small alley of grass to Eren’s bedroom. He saw Eren on his bed too, hugging onto his teddy bear and fidgeting with one of his action fingers. The way he moved his mouth, Levi figured he was accompanying his figurine with some action-packed noises.

The moment Eren realized he was being watched, he bolted to the window and bonked his head against it in the rush. After rubbing his forehead a few times, he waved to Levi excitedly and hopped up and down.

Despite the chaos going on, Levi still smiled. He stepped up to his window too and waved back, watching Eren walk his action figure along the window ledge and jabbering on as if Levi could hear him.

He wondered if Eren slept well at night without him there or if he got nightmares about the day at the amusement park. Eren couldn’t sleep alone at school, so was he okay at home? Did he cry at night by himself? Did he get to sleep at all?

“He’s a dangerous kid, Kuchel,” he overheard Rod’s raised voice. “He needs to go to a military school or perhaps juvenile detention. Someone needs to teach him how to control his word binding, he needs a strong Alpha’s discipline.”

“He’s done nothing wrong,” Kuchel defended her son, “He used his word binding to protect, not harm.”

“He used it on me,” Rod shot back.

“He was afraid.”

“What if he does it again, Kuchel? What if he misuses it? What if he uses it on his little friend next door?” When Kuchel didn’t say anything, Rod jumped to the conclusion, “He already _has_? That could result in a _lawsuit_!”

“Like I said, he uses it to help. He _saved_ Eren from getting snatched up by those Omega traffickers! My son is _not_ dangerous!”

“You just wait. He’ll grow up and turn into a bastard, just like his father,” Rod huffed, taking a few hard stomps before the front door slammed shut and his fancy car took off down the street. It was uncertain whether he would return.

Kuchel cried and Levi’s heart sank, he hated it when his mom cried. Somehow, he felt like it was his fault. After all, it usually was.

Levi waved to Eren, signaling he was going to go and rushed out of his bedroom to find his mom crying on the living room couch. The cheerful room with floral wallpaper and photos of her and Levi seemed darker. He sensed his mother’s distressed pheromones, similar to the ones Eren had whenever Levi had to go.

He sat next to her and stared at his lap and mumbled, “Sorry.”

Kuchel pulled him into a hug and rocked them both slowly, “It’s okay, honey. We just want what’s best for you.”

“What about what’s best for you?” Levi asked, keeping his eyes cast downward.

“You know you’re too old for your age,” she joked.

“You say that a lot,” Levi knew she was just dodging his question. “I don’t… why does he have to be back?”

Her fingers went straight to the mating mark on her neck and she shook her head, “You’ll understand when you’re older.”

“Doesn’t he have another family to take care of?” Levi stubbornly asked, remembering the photos of Rod’s kids and previous mate. His blonde daughter smiled brightly in the photo and Levi wondered if he hit her too.

“He’s a busy man and tries to make time for everyone in his life,” she vaguely answered. “Could you please try to be nice? For me?”

Levi hugged onto her, his pheromones covering them both in a protective cloud. He wanted to shield her from Rod’s ill intentions and make sure he could never step foot in the house again. He tried to bargain, “Could you tell me more about dad?”

She gave him a nervous look and raised an eyebrow, “If I tell you more, will you try to be nice?”

Levi nodded quickly before she could change the terms of their exchange.

She relaxed a bit, falling back against the sofa with Levi in her lap. “We met when we were both young and it was love at first sight. You know, sometimes you just know when you’re meant to be with someone. It’s like this feeling in your chest that the world is right and everything else doesn’t matter anymore.”

“So, what happened?” Levi prodded.

“You know this part. He was called away to paint overseas for a prince.”

Levi gave her a look of disbelief, cocking his head to the side. “No, really, what happened?”

“What happened to your sense of imagination?” she poked him on the cheek.

“ _What really happened_?” Levi drawled out.

“After we had you, it wasn’t easy to make ends meet. He was a painter and I wasn’t working at the time. So, he went overseas to try to sell his art there and… never came back,” she broke the hard truth to her nine-year-old, something she was probably going to save until he was old enough to fully comprehend and understand the situation. Tears welled up in her eyes and her fingers went straight to the fading mark, as if to check and see if it was still etched into her skin. “Rod has been good company…”

“Really?” Levi’s face fell, trying to be serious.

“Yes, really,” Kuchel seemed to get a little more defensive. “I know he can seem mean, but he’s got a good heart.”

Levi still wasn’t convinced, but he wasn’t going to push his mother any further. Instead, he rolled off her lap and sighed with exhaustion.

“Want to make some muffins?” she asked, trying to brighten up the mood. “We can make some tea too. I’ll show you how to make the most perfect cup of tea?”

“Okay,” Levi shrugged, unsure about both activities but going along with them anyway. They pulled a stepstool out for him to help his mother at the counter.

“We put the mix in,” she dumped the dry mixture into a yellow plastic bowl, dust from the flour flying up in to their faces which made both of them laugh. “And an egg, here I’ll crack it…”

She expertly cracked the egg into the mixture and added some milk as well. Finally, she dumped in a healthy amount of little chocolate chips. “That’s the best part,” she deemed. “Now, you stir, honey.”

Levi took the wooden spoon and spun the mixture around in the bowl until Kuchel took it away to carefully spoon the batter into some brightly colored cupcake papers. “We’ll make extra so you can take them over to Eren’s family,” she winked. “I bet he’d love these.”

“He would,” Levi knew for sure. Eren’s love of chocolate and sweets knew no bounds.

She slipped them into the oven and got out the old, metal kettle. “Alright, Levi. The art of tea should be taken seriously. These methods have been passed down through my family for generations! Are you ready to taste the most wonderful cup of tea you’ve ever had?”

Following her lead, Levi nodded and smiled, “Yes, sensei.”

“All right, let’s begin!” Kuchel happily started heating up the pot, unknowingly engraining the love of tea into her son’s blood for the rest of his live and bringing about happiness in even the most uncomfortable places.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You have all been very sweet and supportive of this story, I thank you so much <3 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	7. Chapter 7

“So, you can control people?” Erwin asked for the third time, attempting to understand word binding. After days of pleading, Levi finally satisfied Erwin’s need to hang out. They met at Erwin’s house, which intimidated Levi to no end, and sat in Erwin’s room flipping through comic books.

Erwin’s bedroom was bigger than Levi’s living room and the room looked like it came off of that fancy home-channel Levi’s mom always watched. Erwin had a huge bed with way too many pillows. There were tons of bookshelves and a big desk with even more books piled on top of it. Amongst the neatly organized novels, Erwin had an obsessive collection of manga and comic books that the two chose to dive into while idly chatting away.

“Sort of,” Levi shrugged, “My pheromones just get really… thick, I guess. It keeps people from moving or something.”

“Can you do it right now? Try it on me.”

“I can’t do it on command. It just happens.”

Erwin hummed and turned the page of his book, glancing over the pictures. “Is it when you worry over Eren?”

Levi’s eyes flicked up at Erwin instantly, only to see his blond friend smirking at him. Instead of indulging Erwin, he chose not to answer and just ignored him. Luckily, his tendency to drop subjects that made him uncomfortable didn’t deter Erwin at all. He swapped his words in exchange for some that sounded a little better, “Is it when you worry over people you care about?”

Levi nodded.

“Interesting…” Erwin hummed, flipping another page. Levi wondered if he was actually reading. “I always wonder what I’ll present as. My parents are both Betas, so there’s no telling, really.”

Apparently, Erwin’s father was a professor at the college and his other dad was a doctor. With their busy jobs, Erwin said he was left on his own a lot but he didn’t seem to mind too much. Levi figured it would get pretty lonely in such a huge house all alone.

“Can you scent other people?” Erwin asked suddenly, still interested in Levi’s hyper-Alpha abilities.

“Sometimes… My mom, Eren, his parents… they all have really distinct scents.”

“I guess the more you’re around someone, the better you can scent them,” Erwin inferred.

“Yeah, probably,” Levi decided, scowling when he thought of Rod’s scent. “Everyone else’s scents aren’t as easy to decipher but they’re still there.”

“You really care about Eren, Levi,” Erwin smiled, flipping another page. “Isn’t it weird? He’s… little.”

“He’s six.”

“And you’re nine.”

“And when I’m one hundred, he’ll be ninety-seven.”

“You won’t live to be one hundred.”

Levi threw his comic book at Erwin’s head, “You won’t either if you keep asking about Eren.”

Erwin snickered, “Want to play some video games?”

They headed down to Erwin’s basement and Erwin started plugging everything in. The space was set up like a small theater with tons of leather couches, a television that almost took up the whole wall, and every gaming system known to their planet. “What do you want to play?” Erwin started scanning through the different titles.

“I don’t care,” Levi fell into one of the puffy couches, just content with Erwin’s company. He wasn’t easily offended and didn’t mind Levi’s abrasive tendencies. Erwin tended to stand out in class for his imagination and questions regarding hypothetical situations. Some made fun of him for asking ‘stupid’ questions that didn’t matter, but Levi respected his willingness to wonder. Hell, it made class a lot more interesting watching the teacher get flustered from one of Erwin’s questions. It would spur Hange on and start a twenty-minute conversation about something off topic. Levi wondered if Erwin did it on purpose to waste just enough time at the end of class to escape the possibilities of pop quizzes and extra homework.

Erwin popped in some kind of racing game. Levi took to it quickly, learning the mechanics and gameplay until he had it down pretty well. He kept pace with Erwin who was laughing, “Do you have this at home?”

Levi shook his head, “We don’t have this kind of stuff at home.”

“This is your first time playing? You’re crazy good.”

Levi just smiled a little, happy to keep up with his friend. The game became quickly addicting and competitive as the two raced each other for different real-life prizes.

“Okay, if I win this one, you have to join the soccer team with me.” Erwin bargained.

“Fine. If you lose, you’re writing my next essay for me.”

“Deal.”

Within the five-minute race, Levi earned himself one free essay from Erwin. He wore a small smile of victory and waited for Erwin to present a new challenge.

“Now if I win, you’re joining the basketball team.”

“Fine.” Levi wanted to laugh at the idea. Why was Erwin trying so hard to get him involved? He wasn’t exactly a team player. The only reason he participated in anything was if he was forced into it or if Eren needed someone to be there with him.

All of a sudden, a switch flickered on and Erwin took the lead. It didn’t take long for Levi to figure out Erwin had been hustling him the entire time. He gave Erwin a frustrated slap on the shoulder, “Seriously?”

“Seriously,” Erwin grinned, “Welcome to the team, Levi. Next time, I’ll see if I can get you to join the swimming team, too. I bet you’d be a good swimmer.”

Well, a promise was a promise and Levi wasn’t going to back down out of fear. “Yeah, yeah,” Levi gave Erwin a playful shove. “Idiot.”

“I’d say _you’re_ the idiot. I’m the genius.”

“Let me kick your ass one more time,” Levi offered. “And if I win, you can’t pull that shit on me again.”

“Language,” Erwin poked Levi on the cheek. “And fine, one more.”

Levi didn’t let Erwin win that round. Out of pure spite, he raced his car around that he got an entire lap ahead of Erwin.

“Okay, okay, I get it,” Erwin threw his controller into the air. “No more games. Just promise you’ll come over to hang out some more. We can even go to your house next time.”

Levi nodded and realized there’d be no escaping the will of Erwin Smith’s charm. Without even realizing it, they’d become close friends.

* * *

Eren stooped in the sand and used a stick to draw out a few fluff balls with eyes. His lower lip was stuck in a permanent pout.

“Are you still mad at Levi?” Armin asked, patting him on the back.

“Stupid Levi,” Eren mumbled.

Mikasa gave him a gentle bump on the head with her fist, “Who needs him? You have us.”

The three of them sat around the sand pit at the park. Armin’s mom brought them all there for the afternoon and was reading on a nearby bench. There weren’t many other kids there as the day had grown cloudy and a little cold.

At the news Levi was going to go play with someone else, Eren’s smile fell and his mood fell along with it. They _always_ played together after school, even if they were just doing homework or going for ice cream. The first time Levi _couldn’t_ , Eren complained about it all day until Armin and Mikasa decided they’d play with him instead. The three of them had always said they’d spend more time together, but Eren was always occupied with Levi, Armin was occupied with his books, and Mikasa had her sports clubs.

“Yeah, who needs him?” Eren stubbornly agreed, hopping up from his spot to stop his own moping.

“Yeah, who needs him?” someone else agreed, causing the trio to all spin around. A girl with bright blue eyes and blonde hair had somehow joined them. She blushed when all three were staring her down.

“Who are you?” Eren asked with an edge in his tone.

She took a step back, “H-Historia.”

Eren looked her up and down. She wore a uniform from a different elementary school and had her pink backpack slung over her shoulder. Her hair was a little messy, as if she’d been running around for a while. “Where’d you come from?”

“I was just over there… alone…”

“You can play with us, if you want,” Armin offered with a smile.

“How do we know she isn’t an enemy?” Eren glared.

“An enemy?” Mikasa asked, looking over Historia skeptically. “Eren, I don’t think she’s an enemy.”

“You never know…” Eren bit his lip wearily. He knew there were all sorts of bad people in the world and Levi warned him to stay away from strangers. Even his parents taught him not to speak with people he didn’t know.

“I swear I’m not!” Historia slapped her hands together, as if she were begging. “Please trust me!”

After a moment of silence, Eren gave in to those big watery eyes of hers. “Yeah, I guess I could beat you up if I needed to. You can play with us.”

“You mean _Mikasa_ could beat her up,” Armin snickered.

“Hey!” Eren stuck his tongue out and looked back to Historia. “You don’t go to our school.”

“I go to a private school.” She fidgeted with the hem of her skirt shyly. “But only until I go to junior high. Then I’ll go to the public school. My friend Ymir says she’ll come too, so I’ll have a friend.”

“You’ll have more than just this Ymir person. We’re your friends too,” Eren decided quickly. This way, if Historia’s Ymir-friend couldn’t be around she would have them. Just like how Eren had Mikasa and Armin when Levi couldn’t be around.

Her face lit up and nearly glowed with excitement. “Thank you!” she burst. “I can’t wait to get to junior high now!”

They commenced to play a short game of tag until little sprinkles of water started to fall down upon them. Some woman took Historia by the hand and led her away without letting her say goodbye. Armin’s mother hustled them all into the car to drop them all off at their respective homes.

“I like her,” Mikasa said while she stared out the window at the rain.

“Me too,” Armin cheerfully agreed. “How about you, Eren?”

“Yeah, she’s nice,” Eren watched the streets carefully, trying to recognize his own.

“Her mom seemed mean, though,” Armin thought back to the woman who had barked at Historia and pulled her away.

“Scary woman,” Mikasa mumbled.

“Who’s this, now?” Armin’s mom asked, listening carefully while Armin explained what had happened. She just hummed in response and kept driving, looking pensive and a little angry.

Eren was the first to be dropped off. He quickly said goodbye to his friends, thanked Armin’s mom dutifully, and raced into his house. His parents were already at the dinner table with the plates set out. Eren’s eyes lit up when he saw Kuchel and Levi sitting at the table as well.

He ran to Levi, hugging him before his friend could even get out of his chair. “You’re getting me all wet,” Levi complained, trying to push Eren away. “You smell like a wet dog.”

“Eren, did you get caught in the rain?” Kuchel laughed.

“You better go change into dry clothes before you catch a cold. Quickly, go,” Carla urged him on with a smile.

Eren groaned, let go of Levi, and raced off to change. He skidded and slid on the wood floors all the way, nearly crashing into the wall a few times. “Be careful!” his father warned a little too late. Eren swapped his wet pants and shirt for a clean, dry, mismatched outfit. He didn’t care what he looked like, he was just excited to finally see Levi again.

* * *

“Rod Reiss again?” Carla sighed, holding her coffee cup with two hands. She and Kuchel sat at the kitchen table while watching Levi and Eren play in the family room. Carla was constantly amazed at how patient and gentle Levi was with Eren. Kuchel’s son acted like more of an adult than most people she knew.

Kuchel rubbed at her neck nervously, “I know, I just… It’s hard to resist. This stupid mark…It’s difficult to stay away, it hurts when we’re apart. I really feel like this is a good idea, but somehow I also know that it’s not.”

Carla understood the emotional response mating marks brought out. Whenever Grisha had to go away, it hurt. Whenever he came back, she wanted to cry with joy. She felt his emotions parallel with her own. All of his joys, pains, fears, and excitement channeled into her own body and it sometimes became overwhelming. At first, it was difficult to get used to and hard to understand. As their bond grew stronger, everything became clearer. When they fought or went through a rough patch, it all got a little more fuzzy and difficult.

“Do you still feel anything from _him_?” Carla asked, eying Kuchel’s first mating mark. It was fading slowly, but the mark never fully disappeared.

Kuchel shook her head with a frown, “Sometimes in my dreams. I can’t focus on that now, though. Rod’s _here_ , not halfway across the world.”

“Rod’s also not good for you,” Carla brought on the hard truth.

Kuchel glared at her for just a few seconds until she could swallow her instinctive reaction. “He’s better than nothing. He stopped me from selling my heat to someone.”

Carla’s eyes widened, “ _What?_ ”

Kuchel looked at Carla with a blank face. “There was an Alpha who wanted to spend my heat with me for some money. It didn’t seem like a bad idea… It’s not easy paying the bills myself and I’m not going to ask Kenny for any more help.”

“ _Kuchel,_ ” Carla hissed a scolding whisper. “If you need help, ask me.”

Kuchel shook her head, “I’m not going to burden you, Carla. You and Grisha have done enough.

"That’s it. If you’re having issues, let me grab my checkbook.”

Kuchel grabbed Carla’s wrist to stop her from getting up. “It’s fine now. Rod’s here, he’s helping. I just got a raise… it’ll all be fine. I’m taking care of it.”

Carla glared and pressed her lips into a tight line. She hated seeing her friend falling apart without even realizing it. Kuchel was metaphorically stabbing herself in the leg while singing that it was okay, that she was fine. As much as Carla wanted to share a heavy piece of her mind with her friend, she knew her efforts would be futile. Kuchel’s vision was hazy due to her mating mark and her need to provide for her son trumped all. “From now on, if you need something, you tell me. Don’t go to Rod, come to me.”

Kuchel didn’t look completely sold on the idea but she nodded anyway. “Fine, you win Carla.”

Carla crossed her arms and looked to the two boys in the family room. She hated to bring it up, but it had to be said. “He wouldn’t hurt Levi again, would he?”

“That was a mistake,” Kuchel started.

Carla cut her off, “Mistake or not, it happened. Kuchel, you might be ready to take second chances, but is Levi?”

Kuchel looked to her son and then down to her lap. “I don’t think he ever will.”

“Are you still sure this is a good idea?”

“We’re going to try. I’m not going to let him hurt us again, I swear.”

* * *

“Do you ever wish you had a real family? Like Eren’s family?” Kuchel asked carefully while she and Levi went through their bedtime routine together. They huddled over the bathroom sink, brushing their teeth and hair.

Levi looked at her with a funny face, spitting into the sink and putting his toothbrush away before answering, “What do you mean?”

“You know, two parents?” Kuchel tried, hoping Levi would be honest.

As always, he never lied, “I don’t think two parents makes it a real family, mom.”

She stopped brushing her own hair in favor of brushing her son’s. “Well, do you ever wish it was more than just the two of us?”

He bit his lip, “Like, you, me, and Rod?”

“Well,” she hated how sad he looked. “You, me, and anyone really. Do you ever wish you had another mom or dad like the other kids?”

Levi leaned his head back so Kuchel would have an easier time brushing through the knots. “No.”

“No?” she was hoping for a more explained answer, though she knew Levi tended to stay away from sentences with too many words.

“We’re a real family and I don’t need anyone besides you.” He stepped out of the bathroom and into his bedroom to change into his pajamas, leaving Kuchel in happy tears with the brush still in hand. Even with the most casual, nonchalant tone his words sounded like the most beautiful symphony to her ears.

Kuchel sat in bed, thumbing at her mating mark again. She wrestled with the usual thoughts that haunted her in the quiet darkness.

_This was a mistake._

_No, you need him._

_He’s terrible to you and Levi._

_He’s the best thing that has ever happened to you, he’s saving your family._

There was no way to erase a mark other than having a new one in its place and Kuchel couldn’t find herself wanting anyone other than Rod. It took years for her to get over Levi’s father, so what awaited her if she chose to desert Rod for good? Only pain, torment, and loneliness. Her body would punish her for leaving her mate. She’d find herself always tempted to go back and Rod would continue to try to reach her until she gave in.

But then again, she’d be free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your support of this story! I'm hoping you all love it so far <3 Lots of different perspectives this time, I hope it wasn't too confusing.
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	8. Chapter 8

The weather got colder and Eren hid under his scarf to hide his face against the biting wind. Soon enough, it’d be Halloween and he was already daydreaming about what he wanted to dress up as to go trick or treating. He’d never admitted it to anyone, but he got a bit frightened on Halloween night with all the other dressed up kids stalking through the dark streets. A lot of the older kids wore something terrifying that made Eren wary. But this year, he was determined to wear something just as scary so he could feel a little braver.

In the meantime, he’d watch the trees change from green to dusty reds and oranges. His teacher explained to them why and how they changed colors, but he wasn’t paying much attention. He lay on his back in the backyard, staring up at the plethora of sunset hues until his vision got blurry and they all melded together in a pretty mess of color.

Levi walked over and fell to the ground next to him in silence. He’d do that fairly often now that his mom’s boyfriend came over a lot. It always took him a minute to get back to his usual mood. Eren still wasn’t sure to call him. If he even mentioned Rod in conversation, Levi got mad. So instead he just pretended Rod didn’t exist. Sometimes, though, it was a little too difficult to keep his mouth shut. “You smell weird,” Eren announced, still staring up at the leaves.

Levi brought his arm up to his nose to take a deep whiff. He wrinkled up his nose and in a few seconds, he was back to normal. “Better?” he asked.

“Yeah.” Eren rolled over on his stomach to look at Levi, “What took you so long?”

Levi mumbled something and watched as a leaf fell from the tree directly onto his stomach. He picked it up to investigate it, avoiding Eren’s question.

“ _Levi,_ ” Eren whined, snatching the leaf from Levi’s fingers.

“Rod doesn’t think I should play with you anymore,” Levi sighed, taking the leaf back so aggressively that it tore in half.

Eren let the leaf fall to the ground and sat up quickly, “What?”

“It’s stupid, just forget it.” Levi sat up two and put two hands on Eren’s shoulders. “He can’t tell me what to do anyway.”

“Promise?” Eren was a little worried but Levi just pat him on the head and grabbed some books out of his bag.

“What story do you want to hear today? I have the one about the wizards, the one about space, or the one with the talking animals.”

“Wizards,” Eren decided promptly, completely rapt by the story and they weren’t even an entire chapter in yet.

Levi scooted back until his back rested comfortably against the tree trunk and Eren joined him, he flipped open to the bookmarked page and started reading aloud.

“Do the voices,” Eren prodded at Levi’s thigh. “It makes it better.”

Levi cleared his throat and put on his best grizzly wizard voice to continue through the tale. Moments like these were magical in their own sort of way as Eren forgot about the quickly moving clock and how they’d both have to run back to their houses before the sun set. Levi’s voice accompanied by the autumn breeze and chattering leaves could have easily lulled him to sleep if he weren’t so interested in the story. A lot of times, Levi would use words Eren didn’t know or Eren would get a little lost but Levi was always there to amend the sentence or explain what was going on in simple language.

“I could be a wizard for Halloween…” Eren thought aloud to himself. “That’s not very scary, though.”

“Some wizards are scary,” Levi shrugged. “Why do you want to be something scary?”

“To scare _you_ ,” Eren lied with a giggle. It was better than admitting he was afraid.

“I don’t think you could ever scare me, so don’t even try,” Levi informed him, setting the book down for the day.

“What are you going to be?”

Levi shrugged, “We didn’t go trick or treating where I used to live.”

“ _What_?” Eren was practically offended.

“Everyone lived in apartment buildings and most people weren’t even home. We usually just stayed home and watched scary movies.”

“You and your mom?”

“And Farlan and Isabel.”

Eren cocked his head to the side until he vaguely remembered Levi’s friends from the city. He always got uncomfortable when Levi talked about them but wasn’t quite sure why.

“I bet Erwin and Hange would want to go trick or treating, though. And I bet Mikasa and Armin would go too.” Levi suggested, “We can all go together.”

Eren brightened up immediately and started spouting off ideas for different costumes. Vampires, werewolves, wizards, and all sorts of creatures of the night were crossing his mind. He could hardly wait for Halloween once he found out he’d be able to spend it with Levi and his friends. He spent the next week chatting non-stop about it until his mom finally took him to the costume store to pick something out. They’d talked about different options for days until he finally decided on something suitable inspired by one of the stories Levi had read to him.

 

“What are you dressing up as, Eren?” Armin asked at the lunch table once they’d all arrived. It was mere days before the holiday and the whole school was abuzz with Halloween costumes and plans. “Did you finally decide?”

“It’s a secret,” Eren beamed, deciding to make it a surprise. He was terrible at keeping secrets, especially his own, but this was something important that he’d hold onto dearly. He wanted to see their faces of surprise and show off a little, smiling at the thought of revealing his big secret.

“Then we’ll keep all our costumes a secret until we see each other on Halloween!” Erwin decided with a grin, “It’ll be fun.”

Eren liked that idea and he fervently agreed, smashing the rest of his peanut butter and jelly sandwich into his face. He spoke with his mouthful, “It’s going to be awesome!”

 

On the night of Halloween, they all decided to meet at Levi’s house which was fine with Eren. He wanted to show Levi his costume first anyway, excited to see the look on his face. After his mom took a bunch of pictures and went over the rules of trick or treating with him three times, she walked him over to the Ackerman’s household.

They rang the doorbell and Levi answered the door, Eren giving him the most ferocious growl he could manage before explaining, “I’m a werewolf!”

He had a headband with dog ears on, tattered clothes and a tail clipped to the back of his pants. A few bloody streaks on his sleeves suggested he just got back from some kind of hunt and he wore plastic fangs to top the outfit off. He waved his little orange Halloween bucket in the air in a little ‘tah-dah’ and grinned when Levi smiled too.

“It’s perfect,” Levi laughed. He had dressed up in a dark cape, a fluffy, white piece of fabric around his neck, and dark pants. He had painted bloody streaks down his face and wore the same plastic fangs as Eren.

“Vampire?” Eren guessed and Levi nodded. For his first time dressing up for Halloween, Levi did an amazing job and Eren lunged forward to give him a bear hug. “It’s great!”

“He was going to just stay home until Eren mentioned trick or treating,” Eren overhead Kuchel talking to his mom. “It was the first time he showed any interest in it at all. It’ll be nice for all of them to spend the evening together. And thank you and Grisha for taking them out, I’m just happy Levi’s made some good friends. Especially Eren.”

“It’s no problem at all,” Carla giggled, “You have fun passing out candy to all these youngsters.”

Soon enough, Armin and Mikasa showed up. Mikasa was dressed up as a kitty with long talons, ears and a tail. Armin was an elaborately wrapped mummy. Both of them looked just as excited as Eren. Shortly after, Hange showed up dressed as a pirate complete with an eye patch and a fake bird that even squawked on her shoulder. And finally, Erwin came as a zombie with a bloody shirt, green face paint, and only one arm.

They all led the way with Carla and Grisha behind them, chatting about their costumes and all the candy they would get. It seemed too good to be true: a day to dress up, knock on your neighbor’s door, say ‘trick or treat’, and they’d give you candy. Hyped up on sugar and spooky decorations, they were all bouncing down the sidewalk at top speeds.

Until Eren passed by his first older kid, who wore a mask that made his skin crawl. He didn’t want to admit to his fears, he was supposed to be brave and even fearsome. Everyone else seemed just fine, chatting as usual and not even paying attention to the increasingly terrifying costumed kids that passed them by. Naturally, Eren grabbed Levi’s hand and squeezed it tight. He didn’t think much of the action, it happened instinctually as his heart began to race a little faster.

Once he realized what he’d done he gave Levi a frantic look. _Please don’t let go_ he hoped. Without Levi there, he didn’t think he’d make it through the entire night. It was supposed to be fun, not scary. Why did he have to get so freaked out over silly masks and costumes? Even though it wasn’t real and he knew it wasn’t real, somehow it still got to him.

Levi didn’t let go at all, he held onto Eren’s hand and they followed their friends on to the next house. Eren would let go once they got underneath the safety of a porch light but would immediately grab back on once they got back onto the darkened sidewalk. During their entire walk through the neighborhood, Levi let Eren hold his hand or his sleeve without making a big deal out of it or saying anything. Eren appreciated it, wondering if Levi thought he was a baby for being so afraid. A pinch of worry struck him when he realized the one person he wanted to impress could have thought he was silly. Eren didn’t hold onto his hand anymore after that, but rather averted eye contact when an older kid passed by.

Somewhere along the lines, Carla and Grisha were convinced to let the kids stay over for a sleepover. Armin and Erwin were expert negotiators.

“There just wouldn’t be enough time to trade our candies!” Armin explained.

“Trading candies takes at _least_ three hours!” Erwin added to the argument. “And this is our first Halloween together! Levi hasn’t even _dressed up_ for Halloween before! This night is special!”

“We’ll need a bigger army to attack the ghosts at night.”

“And we still have ghost stories to tell.”

“Please, please, please?” Eren begged with a huge smile and big, puppy-werewolf eyes.

“Okay, okay, we’ll call everyone’s parents to make sure it’s okay,” Grisha decided. Carla already had her phone out, texting everyone’s moms and dads. Within a few minutes, the Halloween Slumber Party in Eren’s living room was a go.

 

They sprawled out on the living room floor with dozens of sleeping bags, blankets, and pillows. They’d constructed a fort with Grisha’s help by moving the couches and draping a blanket over them. Carla brought in some battery-powered candle lights and the heated candy-trade was on.

“My bird wants more caramel, who’s got more caramel?” Hange took her parrot off her shoulder and stuck it in the middle.

“I’ve got caramel if you’ve got chocolate,” Erwin bartered.

“I need one of those licorice pieces,” Eren decided. Mikasa promptly shoved one of hers into his mouth and he hummed in thanks, chewing on it while surveying the trading.

Levi and Mikasa didn’t care much for the candy and gave most of theirs to Eren, which gave him the most trading material. He and Hange were swapping like mad, possibly ending up with the same stuff they began with but it was impossible to tell. Erwin burst in with his own alternate bargains, putting them both in a bind until Armin came in with another option which made them all groan with indecision.

Carla and Grisha helped them all get ready for bed, making sure they all had their own sleeping bags and were adjusted comfortably. They’d dispersed out extra tooth brushes and sleeping clothes suitable for them all, as if they’d planned for the impromptu sleepover to happen. With everyone washed up and sparkly clean, the lights were turned off at ten and the room suddenly became scarily dark.

“Oooh,” Hange whispered out a fake ghost noise, making everyone crack up in a fit of giggles.

“Oooooh,” Eren replied, enjoying how they were making light of the dark and scary living room. It was sort of nice having the older kids alongside them for support. They didn’t seem afraid at all, but rather at ease. Hange seemed to get a kick out of making them all laugh and Erwin egged her on. Levi didn’t talk a lot but he was smiling throughout the entire night, which made Eren happy. Armin had a fun time bantering with Erwin and Mikasa, much like Levi, just enjoyed being around her friends.

“We can’t go to bed without a spooky story,” Hange decided with a cackle and a grin, “So have you heard the one about the group of cannibals?”

“What’s a cannibal?” Eren asked and Levi whispered the explanation into his ear. “They _what_?” he almost yelped.

“Sonny and Bean, the tribe leaders worked their magic and baked the human sacrifices into memorable steaks and thighs. They even ate the brains and drank the blood! Only the strongest tribe members could take part, but _wow,_ they were delicious.”

“Is this an age appropriate tale?” Erwin interrupted with a smirk.

“Probably not,” Hange happily answered, “But I found the story at our local library in the non-fiction section.”

“You mean this _actually happened_?” Armin gasped.

“Oh, yes!” Hange clapped her hands together. “There are still cannibals out there today! Just getting ready to eat you!”

They all fell silent until Hange’s parrot made its mechanical bird noise, making them all jump and yelp and then fall into fits of laughter.

Giggles and whispers slowly turned into snores and heavy breathing as they fell asleep one by one. Well, everyone except Eren. He fell asleep for an hour or so but woke up in a jolt of fear. He looked around the unfamiliar room and tried to get some kind of grounding.

A scent hit his nose and he looked down to see Levi sleeping peacefully next to him. The aroma dragged Eren in, falling back down to his back and rolling over to get a better sniff. Levi smelled _so nice_ and _warm_. The scent brought forth happy memories and comfort unlike anything else. It lulled him to sleep easily, his eyes drooping shut almost automatically.

 

The next morning, Eren was the first to rise. He looked up to see that everyone had somehow gravitated toward Levi during the night, though he didn’t think much of it. Levi smelled nice and they probably all thought so too.

“Eren?” Levi sat up a little, rubbing at his eyes and yawning. “The sun isn’t even up yet.”

Eren glanced out the window to see that the sky was lighter but the sun still hadn’t risen. He hadn’t even noticed, he’d woken so refreshed and blissful. “Oh…”

“Did you sleep okay?” Levi asked, keeping his eyes trained on the window.

“Uh, yeah,” Eren nervously answered, not wanting to admit to his nightmares. He’d been getting them ever since the day at the amusement park and didn’t want to tell anyone. He was past the days of running to his parents’ room whenever he couldn’t sleep at night. He was too old for that and didn’t want anyone to think he was a scaredy-cat.

After all, he was supposed to grow up to be an Alpha just like Levi, or so he thought. Alphas weren’t afraid of anything, instead they kept their mate safe and happy no matter what. He trusted that the nightmares would eventually stop, hopefully.

“Why’s everyone all huddled by us?” Levi turned to look at their friends.

“I don’t know. You smell nice, I guess,” Eren answered sleepily, snuggling back into his cocoon of warmth.

After a short pause, Levi asked, “Were you afraid last night?”

“No,” Eren objected sharply, squeezing his eyes shut.

“Eren…” Levi sighed, falling back into his sleeping bag as well. “Then why were you holding onto my hand?”

“I won’t anymore if it bothers you,” Eren turned away from Levi, irritated that he’d been accused of being afraid. Of course, he was afraid, but he didn’t want Levi to know that.

“It doesn’t bother me. I just wanted to know,” Levi grumbled.

“Well I wasn’t scared,” Eren huffed.

Levi didn’t say anything after that and Eren wondered if he went back to sleep.

He hated it and it felt wrong, arguing with Levi over something so silly. But it wasn’t silly to Eren and the fire in his belly didn’t want to give in to the truth. He’d never admit he was afraid and he’d deny it until the cannibals came and ate them. But if they did, he’d probably still grab onto Levi’s hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's August but it's never too early for a Halloween chapter! ^^ Hope you enjoyed it, thank you all so much for your support!
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	9. Chapter 9

“Sorry, Levi. Eren’s caught a cold. I don’t think he’ll be able to play at all today. I’d let you in to say hello, but I’m betting you’d catch the darn thing and end up sick in bed as well,” Grisha sighed.

Levi nodded, frowned, and left the Jaeger’s front door step. He’d worried all day long when his mom took him to school without Eren, but kept his thoughts a secret. Every time he talked about Eren with his mom, she got a weird smile on her face as if she were keeping a secret. It only irritated him so he preferred not talking about him at all.

But as the day wore on, he couldn’t stop thinking. Did he move away? Did he hurt himself? Did he get taken? When his friends asked where he was, Levi muttered something about how he doesn’t know where Eren is all the time and they shouldn’t ask him anymore.

Now he was standing at his own doorstep, hating the fact that he couldn’t waste a few hours in Eren’s backyard. He glared at Rod’s car in the driveway and took a deep breath as he walked in.

His mom and Rod were cooking something in the kitchen together and by their scents, both were happy and carefree. It was a good sign.

“Oh, Levi, how’s Eren?” His mom greeted him with a huge smile.

“Sick,” Levi answered with the least amount of words as possible. He wouldn’t want to give Rod any ammunition or the opportunity to twist his sentences around as he so often did.

“Apparently something is going around now that it’s colder out,” Rod added, “Those schools are crawling with bacteria. It’s almost impossible to walk out of one of those things without catching something.”

 “Oh, Levi! Apparently, Rod’s daughter has met Eren. She hasn’t stopped talking about her new little friends since they’d met. They’re around the same age, aren’t they, Rod?”

Rod mumbled an affirmation and continued cutting up some potatoes. “Historia won’t shut up about the kid. Says she can’t wait to grow up and go to the same school as them.”

Eren met Historia? Even Levi hadn’t met the little blonde and had no desire to. He wondered why Eren hadn’t told him. After all, Eren told him _everything_ from what he’d eaten for breakfast to when he’d last farted. Seriously, he was a grade A blabber-mouth. “Oh,” he finally spoke, clutching onto the straps of his backpack. “I’m going to go do my homework.” He didn’t really have any homework but it was a good enough excuse. He scurried to his bedroom before anyone could get another word in.

He shut the door to his bedroom and headed straight to his window. Just as he’d expected, Eren was huddled up in bed with a pile of tissues on his nightstand and a bundle of stuffed animals surrounding him for emotional support. He sat up to blow his nose again and Levi noticed he was wearing one of his sweatshirts. Automatically, his eyebrows furrowed together at where Eren even got one of them and why he was wearing it in the first place. He wasn’t upset about it, just brutally curious.

Eren noticed Levi in the window and bolted up from bed, rushing over to wave at him. Levi grabbed a whiteboard he kept by the window and wrote out: _Sorry you’re sick._ He held it flush up against the window for Eren to read.

Eren sneezed into his sleeve (Levi’s sleeve) and grabbed his own whiteboard. He drew a frowning face with tears, frowning himself with a dramatic pout.

 _Go to bed_ , Levi wrote back with a stern expression.

Eren visibly sighed, stuck his tongue out, and crawled back into his blankets. Even in bed, he still stared through the window eagerly until he got tired enough to sleep again.

Levi got out his book he’d checked out from the library and started reading. The entire time he was thinking about how Eren would have loved the tale and decided on what voices he’d use for each character to entertain him the most. He kept himself occupied until the yelling started up again, as it always did.

“Why is it always about Levi?” his mom burst, breaking the silence. “He’s a good kid, what’s so wrong with him? Are you still pissed he’s a stronger Alpha than you?”

The words triggered Rod into a rage. “Stronger Alpha? The fucker’s nine! He hasn’t even fucking presented yet, so don’t even start that shit with me. No, he’s going to grow up as a fucking lunatic with the way you’re raising him! He needs to be whipped into shape!”

“I keep telling you, he hasn’t done anything wrong!” she defended her son with fiery passion. “He’s not this monster you keep making him out to be!”

A deathly silence strung out and Levi knew what was next. His body froze, waiting for the telltale smack. As much as he wanted to fling himself out of the room and step between the two of them, he knew it’d only make things worse. He’d lose control, use his word binding, and give Rod another reason to hate him and yell at his mom.

But he couldn’t just sit there and brace for impact. He couldn’t put his hands over his ears and wait for it all to end, picking up the pieces of his mother after Rod stormed out. If Alphas were supposed to protect, he was just as shitty as Rod.

He dropped his book to the floor and threw his bedroom door open. The two of them were having a standoff in the hallway and Levi rushed past Rod to grab his mom’s hand. He pulled her away, into the living room where they wouldn’t be cornered. Rod followed in a thunderous stomp. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing, kid?” he spoke in a low, threatening tone. “I’m telling you, you’re getting on my last nerve.”

Kuchel looked rapidly between her son and Rod, afraid at first but then just as furious. “This is over.”

“It’s over when I say it’s over,” Rod spat back, stumbling towards the two.

Levi’s mom held onto her mating mark and winced, as if it were burning her. She fell to her knees and Levi set one hand on her shoulder and the other out towards Rod, as if he were holding him back.

“We’re going to make one thing straight here. This little fucker doesn’t run this household and he doesn’t have any right to dictate your choices. He’s a bastard child created by mistake. You’re just too sweet to dispose of him right away, that’s all,” Rod’s voice took a creepily soft tone. Levi had gotten so used to his yelling and grumbling, he didn’t realize the man had any other inflections left in his vocal chords. “He doesn’t deserve to keep you from true happiness like his father did. You don’t have to keep him around as a memento either.”

Kuchel went deathly quiet and Levi could hear his own heart pump up through his neck and into his ears. She stepped out of his grasp towards Rod, slowly but certainly and Levi’s heart dipped down into his stomach. It was the same silence she used on him whenever he did anything wrong or talked back to her, the same silence she saved for only the direst situations.

Another step and he was smiling with victory. She was leaving Levi behind but something just wasn’t right.

_Smack._

Kuchel delivered a brutal slap to Rod’s cheek, causing him to stumble back a few steps.

“Fucking _bitch!_ I’ll sue you for assault!”

“Get out of my house,” she snarled, pheromones of distress filling the room in an instant. “Now.”

“This is ridiculous,” Rod raised a hand against her, but she caught him by the wrist before he could make impact and struggled against his momentum.

Levi stared wide-eyed at the situation and his emotions released all at once, as if the dam broke and everything was flooding out through his pores. The panic, fear, and distress of potentially losing his mother came first and followed quickly by his anger for Rod Reiss. And a little bit of pride watching his mom slap him like that.

“Those motherfucking pheromones again,” Rod grit his teeth and trudged against the heavy air, making his way past Kuchel. “That’s fucking it. You need to learn your place before you kill me or your mother.” With one swing, he stepped forward and caught Levi by the jaw, sending him to the floor.

Levi stumbled back up, aggression coiling in his gut. The second he got back up, Rod just punched him in the gut to send him back down again.

“Levi!” Kuchel screamed, throwing her body at Rod’s thick frame to get him farther away from her son. “You get the fuck out of his house and _never_ return.”

“He’s going to kill you, Kuchel! You just wait! He’s a loose cannon, I can see it in those eyes of his!” Rod tried convincing her, talking steps back towards the door.

“ _I’ll_ be the one suing _you._ Get out. Now,” Kuchel’s dark tones sent a shiver through Levi’s aching body.

Rod made his leave, albeit slowly while glaring back at the two of them. “We’ll settle this later, then.”

The moment the door closed shut, Kuchel launched forward to lock it securely and then rushed towards Levi. “Okay, Levi, okay, let me get a good look.”

She was finally in arm’s reach and he threw himself into her lap, releasing the buildup of sobs. He didn’t cry often, but he simply couldn’t hold it all back.

When he began to cry, so did Kuchel. Her voice quivered and her body shook with every new round of tears. “I’m so sorry, honey. I’m so, so sorry. Oh god, this is all my fault.”

Levi pulled back to see blots of blood on his mother’s white skirt. He reached up and realized he was bleeding, pulling back his hand to observe the scarlet liquid coating his palm and fingers. He looked up to his mother who was still crying hard, pulling him back tightly against her while repeating apologies over and over again.

“We’ll make this work, just you and me. We’ll figure this out,” she started saying, assuring herself just as much as Levi.

And for some reason, Levi was thinking about Eren despite everything that had happened and how much he wanted to see his stupid smiling face. For some reason, even just the memories calmed him down enough to focus on pushing out the warm, comforting pheromones for his mother’s sake.

They slept in the same bed that night, as they always did when things got tough. Levi wasn’t sure who needed it more, but it helped him get to bed a little faster and kept the nightmares at bay. They were safe, he kept having to tell himself. Now, they were finally safe.

 

“Did you get in a fight or somethin’?” Hange asked the next day at school, eyeing Levi’s bruised face. She spoke in a hushed voice for fear the teacher would yell at her for talking during class again.

He rolled his eyes and spoke as sarcastically as he could, “Yeah, with a panther that came into my backyard last night.”

“That would be _so cool_ to see a panther up close!” Hange marveled, sticking her nose back into her notebook to sketch. She’d gotten into animals a lot lately and Levi knew it was a sure way to distract her.

Erwin, however, wasn’t so easy to sidetrack. “What _did_ happen?” he asked carefully when they were given time to work in groups.

“Fell,” Levi lied, an easy cop-out.

“You don’t fall. You do everything weirdly perfectly,” Erwin accused. “Is this just a way to skip out on basketball practice or something?”

“Oh, right, we’re doing that now.”

“Yeah, and it starts next week! Are you going to be ready?”

“Yeah, I guess,” Levi sighed, having forgotten all about the stupid promise he’d made.

“And how are things going over here?” their teacher bent down to look at their group sheet, Erwin and Hange having finished it five minutes before. They took the sheet and handed them another one for ‘extra practice’ since they’d all finished long before their peers.

Hange started scribbling out answers while Erwin continued to bother Levi about their basketball practices. “We can grab you a uniform after school, they’ve got tons so we should be able to find one that fits you. Oh, and they have shoes there too. They’re special to keep the floors nice.”

Levi cringed at the thought of wearing a used uniform and tennis shoes. He’d have to figure out how to get them cleaned enough so they wouldn’t be so disgusting. After dealing with Rod’s potent, foul smells for so long he’d grown to detest anything equally disgusting for it reminded him of the only man he truly hated.

“Is Eren still not at school? He didn’t come in to sleep under your desk again today,” Hange wondered.

“He’s sick,” Levi told her. “Really sick.”

“Will he be okay?”

“Yeah, he’ll be fine…” Levi hoped. He made a note to stop by and ask his parents about his condition after school.

“We should make him get well cards!” Hange set the finished practice sheet aside and grabbed her notebook, tearing off three fresh pages. She passed around some colored pencils and the three of them got to work.

Levi drew those weird fluffy blobs that Eren called rabbits along the edges of the sheet and wrote it out simply: _Get Well Soon._

Hange’s was decorated with dead-looking stick figures and the note in the center read: _Please don’t die._

Erwin had the nicest handwriting out of all of them, putting their sloppy scrawl to shame. He drew out some flowers and smiling faces and wrote: _Hope to see you back at school soon, Eren!_

Hange folded all their cards into pinwheels and Levi stuffed them into his backpack, actually excited to get home and deliver them to Eren. He’d been sort of missing that big, dumb, toothy grin especially after his stressful night at home.

“Okay, time for recess. Levi, will you stay behind for just a moment?” the teacher announced.

Erwin and Hange gave Levi funny looks and promised they’d wait for him outside. Levi walked up to the teacher with a grimace.

They sighed and cleared their throat, “I know there’s not an easy way to ask this, but please be honest with me. Are things at home going okay?”

“It’s fine,” Levi didn’t even let them finish speaking. “Everything is fine,” he repeated, trying to sound a little more sincere. It wasn’t exactly a lie, things would be fine without Rod in the picture.

They gave him a suspicious look and sighed once more. “Okay, but if anyone hurts you in anyway, you can talk to me about it. You won’t get in trouble.”

Levi nodded, “Can I go now?”

“Yeah, go on.”

The moment he was dismissed, he was running out the door. The rest of the day flew by and he was tapping his foot while waiting for his mom to pick him up from school. All he could think about was Eren and how happy he’d be to receive the little cards they’d made for him.

His heart stopped when he saw a familiar expensive, silver car slowly driving down the road. Rod glared at him through the driver’s window, but didn’t stop the car. He simply drove slowly down the road until he turned the corner and was completely out of view. Levi kept staring, completely taken aback by what he’d seen. Why was Rod driving by? He didn’t live near the school and his daughter went to the private school across town. What could he possibly have wanted?

Levi left the thought to thunder in the back of his mind when he saw his mom finally pull up. He jumped into the car quickly and waited patiently during the drive home. They went through the regular motions, asking about each other’s days and giving vague answers in response. Levi pulled out the pinwheel-folded cards in anticipation.

The moment she parked the car, Levi was bolting out and running across their yards to get to Eren’s front door. He rang the doorbell several times until Carla let him in and escorted him to Eren’s room to allow for a short visit.

Levi had been expecting Eren's usual pleasant scent, but apparently his illness turned it sour. It was the saddest smell he’d ever experienced from Eren. The entire room seemed gloomy and dark, though the moment their eyes met it all seemed to fade away.

“Levi!” Eren yelped with a stuffed nose, making him sound sort of funny.

Levi sat at the edge of Eren’s bed and asked, “How are you feeling?”

“Great!” Eren said just before sneezing into his (Levi’s) sleeve.

“Where’d you get that sweatshirt from?” Levi asked, a question that had been picking at his brain for a while.

Eren blushed immediately. “Uh, well, I was at your house playing one day and it smelled really nice…”

Levi found himself smiling at the notion and before saying anything else, he set the three papers onto Eren’s lap. “They’re from Erwin, Hange, and I.”

Just as Levi had imagined, Eren’s eyes sparkled at the little notes. Levi focused on that rather than his issues at home and Rod’s presence at his school. He focused on Eren’s laughter and giggles and the way he latched onto Levi so tightly. Even with his snotty nose rubbing on his shirt, Levi didn’t mind.

“Get better soon, okay?” Levi told him. “Or I’ll read all our books without you.”

“What? No!” Eren whined, pulling at his shirt. “Levi! I’ll get better as fast as I can! You just watch!”

Sadly, that nasty cold stuck with Eren for the rest of the week. Even so, Levi visited every day with books in hand, sitting himself at the edge of Eren’s bed to read him with funny voices included.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one got a bit rough! I just finished catching up on Killing Stalking and may have taken out my emotions on the pair <3 I didn't mean it! <3 Thank you all so much for reading, I'm promising more fluff to come! <3 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I am happy to announce that there is now some art for this fic and I am so pleased to share it with you! You can view it: [here](http://snakemittens.tumblr.com/post/164738155697/i-commissioned-one-of-my-favorite-artists)

Eren sat on the bleachers and watched the boys running back and forth, occasionally offering a rousing cheer to spur them on. Armin and Mikasa sat next to him, joining in once in a while when one of the boys made a basket. The game was neck and neck, everyone was sitting at the edge of their seat.

His eyes tracked Levi as he ran up and down the court. Levi was quite fast and even a little taller than all the rest of the boys on the team. He’d scored plenty points, though not quite as many as Erwin. The two of them seemed to have their own little competition going on between each other, which was rather humorous to watch. It caused the rest of the team to work even harder to keep up, huffing down the court after the two.

The rival team worked hard to keep up. Most of the kids on their team were even bigger but not quite as fast. They lumbered intimidatingly, blocking and waving their arms up high. The home team zipped around them quickly, dribbling the ball in tow. Blue and red jerseys swished amongst each other in a battle for points.

“Go Scouts!” Eren jumped up from his seat to yell, encouraging the rest of the kids and parents in the bleachers to do the same. “Five, four, three…!” they started counting down alongside the clock.

Erwin lobbed the ball towards the basket, with the last two seconds in the game it swished right through and the entire section burst up in a fit of screams and cheers.

“We won, we won!” Eren laughed, his friends yelping alongside him. He hoped Levi and Erwin could hear him and he raised his voice even more.

As the crowd cleared out, Kuchel brought the boys home. The entire car ride home, Eren was bursting with enthusiasm. “And when you got the ball from that other player? That big one? Wow! You’re so fast, Levi!”

“Isn’t he?” Kuchel laughed in agreement. “I didn’t realize you were interested in the sport to begin with, Levi. But you made it to every practice! I’m so proud! To think, when we relocated here you said the last thing you wanted to do was join some kind of team.”

Levi had his arms crossed and was still catching his breath from all the running. He offered a smile to the two and fiddled with the end of his jersey. “It was Erwin’s idea,” he admitted.

“But did you have fun?” Kuchel asked, looking back at them through the rearview mirror.

“Yeah, I did…” he confessed with a little smile.

“Aw, now I want to join the team!” Eren pouted. “It looked like so much fun!”

“You’re too little,” Levi ruffled his hair. “I don’t think you could even throw the ball that high.”

“I can too!” Eren protested. “I can throw it up real high! I’ll show you when we get home!”

The moment Kuchel pulled into the driveway, their game was on. Of course, Levi could out-do Eren at any sport they’d tried, he played fairly enough so that Eren could get in a few victories himself. As always, once the sun started to set and the sky blurred with oranges and pinks, Eren sadly trudged on home. Just as he was leaving, a strange silver car slowly crawled up the street like a snail. Eren wondered why it was going so slow, but shrugged off the thought and resumed his short walk home.

When he walked through the door, he gasped at the sight of his mother folding the laundry.

“What is it, honey?” she asked him, scrunching up her face at the over-dramatic action.

“B-but,” Eren grabbed at the three sweatshirts he’d ‘borrowed’ from Levi and buried his nose in them, only to have them smell like their laundry soap. “You washed them,” he whispered with the most defeated tone.

“I had to so we can give them back. You wore them when you were sick, so we have to wash your germs out of them.”

“Give them back?” Eren looked down at them with disappointment. He’d tried his best to sneak them away from Levi without him noticing and now they’d be gone forever.

His mother bit her lip and took them from Eren, having to pry them out of his little fingers a bit before Eren let go. “Eren, we need to have a little talk.”

He hated the ‘little talks’ because they always meant something bad. Eren plopped onto the floor, crossed his legs, and pouted at her. Even so, he knew he couldn’t avoid the little talks.

“I just want to prepare you for what may come in the future,” Carla slowly spoke, carefully and softly. “Levi might be moving away at the end of this year.”

Eren froze in place like a statue and even stopped breathing. A smell in the air was homey and comforting and he had no reason to be sad, but he dismissed it entirely. “What?” he asked, suddenly wondering if it was some kind of terrible joke or fib.

“Levi’s mom got a new job back in the city, so they have to move back.”

Eren jolted up from his spot on the floor and started yelling, “He’s moving away?! But he just got here! He can’t move away! He’s not moving away!”

“Eren, honey,” his mom tried speaking again.

“No!” Eren screamed, rushing out the front door while his mom called after him. He stumbled on his way across the grass and started pounding on Levi’s door before opening it up himself and flying into Levi’s living room.

Levi and his mother were at the dining table and everything smelled _wrong._ It wasn’t the normal smell in Levi’s house, the one that always made Eren smile for some reason. He panted for breath and stared at the two of them with a hopeless stare, begging for the fact not to be true.

But by the look on Levi’s face, the signs weren’t looking good.

“Eren, do your parents know you were stopping by?” Kuchel nervously laughed.

“Levi’s not leaving,” Eren stated like his dad would when he was in a bad mood. “He’s not leaving. You’re not leaving.”

 Levi flung up from the dining table and rushed over to hug onto Eren. He didn’t say anything, which Eren hated. He wanted someone to tell him they weren’t moving away, that they were staying put. He didn’t want Levi to leave him.

Eren was crying and hadn’t even realized it. His cheeks wetted Levi’s shirt and snot started dripping from his nose. As much as he hated crying in front of people, he couldn’t help it. His chest started to hurt and it felt like he was going to throw up. If Levi hadn’t been hanging onto him, he would have fallen onto the floor.

“It’s not for sure yet,” Levi finally mumbled, but somehow Eren just couldn’t believe that. He couldn’t breathe anymore and started gasping for air.

Levi did that weird thing where he starts to smell really good for some reason and it made Eren sleepy, like always. He felt like he could breathe in again as he took in Levi’s nice scent but wouldn’t stop crying. “You’re not going anywhere,” Eren adamantly decided, sniffling. “You’re staying here. You can stay in my room so you don’t have to go.”

Eren’s parents came through the front door. Carla was the first to speak, “I’m so sorry, Kuchel, he ran out without any hesitation and I wasn’t sure what to do.”

Grisha reached out his hand and used his funny tone that made Eren want to be good, “Come on, Eren, let’s go home.”

Eren trembled at the sound and his grip loosened on Levi’s shirt, just a little. He couldn’t get any words out and started to panic for not obeying right away. His determination to cling onto Levi was rapidly faltering and he looked between his parents and Levi. He started to pull away, completely defeated.

“No,” Levi spoke, making Eren freeze up again. “Stay here.”

Eren tightened his grip and hugged Levi hard, burying his face in his wet shirt again. He wanted to hide away from everyone else and the entire world, letting Levi handle the complicated situation for him. He knew if he just stayed put and hung onto Levi, things would be okay.

“Levi,” Kuchel scolded, putting a hand on Levi’s shoulder.

At the same time, Grisha started to pick Eren up by his waist.

The most inhuman noise came from Levi’s throat, a growly snarl that made both adults back off. “ _Mine_ ,” he hissed at them, the sound making Eren shiver and shake even more. Somehow, he wasn’t afraid at all. He was more concerned about them trying to pry him off of Levi than Levi himself.

“Levi, _back down_ ,” Grisha spoke slowly and sternly, making Eren suck in a breath. They were definitely in a lot of trouble now.

Eren was plucked from Levi’s grasp seconds after the warning and it all felt so uncomfortable. A knot in Eren’s stomach formed, making his insides hurt and his brain ache. He started screaming, “No, no, let me _go_!”

“Sorry, Kuchel. Sorry, Levi,” Grisha mumbled, manhandling Eren until he could get a secure hold on him. Eren struggled the entire time, screaming for his freedom and for Levi to save him. It was strange because he knew he wasn’t in danger, but his body was reacting on its own. His mind and actions felt completely separate and that scared him the most.

His parents toted him home all while he struggled against it, reaching back towards Levi’s house in a desperate attempt to return to his friend.

Grisha plopped Eren on his bed and knelt before him with a strange expression. He didn’t seem mad, like Eren would have guessed. Instead, he looked tired and even a little sad. “Eren, let’s calm down. Okay?”

“No! No!” Eren tried to wrestle his way back out the door, feeling so completely terrified that he wasn’t sure exactly what was going on. His temper tantrum raged on and he ended up sobbing into his pillow without any other outlet to set his emotions straight again. His parents cooed and murmured to him, but their voices were lost somewhere in between all the thoughts in his head.

_Levi told you to stay and you didn’t._

_Levi’s going to leave you forever._

_This is all your fault._

But the thoughts slowly quieted as the raging smell of his home almost put him to sleep. He was exhausted from crying and his whole body hurt. Finally, he could start to recognize his parents’ words.

“They’re not leaving right away, honey, you’ll still be able to spend time with Levi.”

“There’s no telling what’ll happen, we just want you to be prepared so it doesn’t happen all of a sudden.”

“He won’t be gone forever, Eren. Just a while.”

The words weren’t helping whatsoever and Eren curled up in his blankets, too tired to cry anymore.

* * *

Kuchel and Levi sat on the couch, not talking to one another. Kuchel couldn’t decide on how to approach the situation and Levi was too angry at her to even try to communicate. His scent was unbelievably strong and it had her muscles tensing up involuntarily.

“Levi, that was irresponsible,” she started, her voice soft and submissive. It felt strange feeling inferior to her own son and started to wonder if Rod was right. “Not only did you disrespect Mr. and Mrs. Jaeger, but you hurt Eren as well.”

“You’re the one who’s making us move,” Levi muttered, the first time he’d gotten bratty with her since he was just a kindergartener. He crossed his arms defensively and pulled his knees up to his chest.

“I already told you, it’s not finalized yet. I want to prepare you for anything that comes our way. I thought I could support us here better than in the city, but it’s hard. Uncle Kenny can only do so much to help us and it’s difficult for Omegas to get high-paying jobs. I have to take what I can get,” she tried to explain without humiliating herself too much. She’d do anything she could to support Levi and keep him healthy. Jobs for Omegas were few and far between in the first place. When she lost her job the first time, Rod stepped back into their lives and chipped in. Now she had no mate, no job, and a very unhappy son. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes, but she held them back.

“We’re always moving…” Levi complained softly, staring down at the floor.

“I know…” Kuchel leaned back onto the couch and sighed. “But we’ve got to make do with what we’ve got. If I can get this job, we’ll be able to live in a nice place. You can go back to school with Farlan and Isabel. Wouldn’t it be nice to see them again?”

Levi mumbled something and didn’t move from his spot. Her clever, understanding, and mature boy was regressing into someone she didn’t know, an Alpha she didn’t know. It was terrifying to see him change so dramatically. He _snarled_ at her just moments before like an animal.

“We’ve got to talk about what happened with Eren,” she decided firmly. “I’ve never seen you act that way before. What happened?”

He said nothing and kept his eyes shaded from her.

“You used your word binding on him and it frightened him. When you do that and he doesn’t follow your instructions, it hurts him, Levi. His instincts tell him he’s done something wrong and that you’ll be upset with him. You were so good about keeping yourself under control… what happened?” she tried to be gentle with him but couldn’t hide her frustration.

Levi’s voice came out in a whisper, “I don’t want to leave Eren.”

“I know you don’t, honey. I know you two have become very close friends over the past few months. You won’t lose him forever. You’ll always be friends,” she tried to assure.

“No, mom,” Levi turned his head up to her finally with streams of tears flowing down his pale cheeks. “I don’t want to leave Eren. I can’t.”

Kuchel wrapped her arms around Levi and realized that Levi was hurting just as much as everyone else. It wasn’t an easy decision for her to make, but she wouldn’t let them starve. She wasn’t going to change her mind and she’d work hard to get that new job. But if somehow, she didn’t get it, she didn’t think she’d be so sad about it anymore.

“You best apologize to Eren tomorrow,” she stroked her son’s hair lightly and hummed. “He might think you’re angry with him.”

Levi fell further into her arms and groaned.

“I know it won’t be easy, but you care about him. It’s important for him to know that you only acted that way because…” Kuchel’s voice fell as she tried to figure out the right words. “Because you know you’ll miss him so much if we have to go far away.”

“Okay,” he finally mumbled.

“Now, how about we finish dinner and get ready for bed? I think we both need some sleep.”

While they commenced their quiet nighttime routine, Kuchel watched her son’s movements carefully. What kind of mother feared her own child? She had to wonder if this was something others had experienced when it came to their Alpha children. Levi was definitely a rarity and presented new challenges she never thought she’d face.

As far as scents, strength of pheromones, and instinctual drive Levi was more powerful than any other Alpha she’d ever encountered, with the exception being his own father. Perhaps Rod was right in saying that Levi needed some kind of role model to help him with these aggressive urges and set a path for him. Still, it seemed impossible to find someone with a big enough heart to take on the paternal role.

Kuchel knew she could hardly relate to Levi in that way, which had her even more disappointed. She wanted to be everything Levi would ever need, but couldn’t even find the right words to use when talking about these Alpha tendencies.

She looked at her son through the mirror and saw herself in him. They were so similar, yet so different. All she wanted to be was a good parent for him and even that was a struggle. She absentmindedly sighed at her own shortcomings and started brushing out her son’s hair while he finished brushing his teeth.

“Can I sleep with you tonight?” Levi asked out of the blue.

Kuchel blinked at him and had to ask, “Really?”

He nodded and looked away bashfully, picking at the hem of his nightshirt.

“Of course,” she patted his soft hair and smiled. “Always.”

He didn’t give her any explanation to as why he wanted to sleep in her bed that night. It wasn’t a common occurrence as he’d grown to be such an independent child. Some nights after she and Rod fought, he’d sneak into her bed for the night and sneak away at dawn. She always wondered if he did it in efforts to comfort her, but now it seemed to be the other way around. They huddled under the quilt and she kissed his forehead, wishing him sweet dreams.  

Levi’s scent substantially faded into his usual, warm tones and Kuchel could take a breath of relief. Her son was back and the Alpha that raged inside was tucked away once more. After seeing Levi react in such a way, she decided there would have to be some new precautions in order to protect both Levi as well as Eren from one another. With a number of months left until the final decision, she had a strange feeling that, as always, the world would present them with a number of twists and turns before the final bell rang.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading <3<3
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	11. Chapter 11

The days got even colder and Levi crossed out another day on his calendar. In a few months, they’d be leaving the suburbs to head back to the city and he still couldn’t really cope. He decided he wouldn’t worry about it until that day came and told Eren the same. It got really sad whenever they’d play together and Eren would start crying for no reason, only to admit that he was afraid of Levi leaving him. After he’d told Eren not to think about it and that everything would be okay, Eren cried a lot less and eventually things were somewhat normal again.

“I want it to snow,” Eren stared up at the white, cloudy sky, scarf snug around his neck. “It’s cold but it won’t snow.”

“It’ll snow soon but probably not today,” Levi informed him, slipping his mittens over his cold fingers. “Probably not this week, even.”

Eren pouted and huffed, “I wanted to throw a snowball at you.”

“Guess it’ll have to wait until the first snowfall then,” Levi smirked at him. “But now that you’ve given up your plan, I’ll hit you with one first.”

“Levi!” Eren hopped up to his feet and complained. “It’s not as much fun that way!”

“I think it is!” Levi laughed. “You won’t even see it coming.”

“I will too!” Eren contested.

“Boys!” Kuchel called from the patio. “Come in for some hot cocoa!”

Both of them perked up to that and ran towards the back door, nearly toppling over each other to get inside. The warm air hit them quickly and they both shed off their winter clothes and sat at the dining table. Kuchel set a steaming mug in front of both of them and Levi stared at the chocolate drink, little marshmallows included. After both of them thanked her, they took their first sips and felt the early winter chill leaving their bones replaced by the steaming warmth.

“It’s looking so grey out there…” Kuchel looked out the window and stared up at the sky. “They said it should snow next week. Are you two excited?”

“Mhm!” Eren nodded enthusiastically. “I’m going to hit Levi with a snowball!”

“No, you’re not! I’ll hit you with one first!” Levi continued their little quarrel with a teasing smile. Eren just stuck his tongue out at him in reply.

“Levi’s birthday is coming up soon as well. Do you have anything special you want to do?” she asked with a smile.

“Levi’s birthday?!” Eren burst, as if he’d never realized Levi had a birthday in the first place.

“December twenty-fifth,” she said, stirring her coffee. “Normally, Levi doesn’t like to do much for it.”

“What?” Eren sharply questioned, throwing a look of accusation to Levi. “No cake? No presents? Nothing?”

Levi shook his head, “It’s too much trouble.”

Eren slammed his hands onto the table and started yelling, “We’re throwing Levi a party!”

“That’s the spirit!” Kuchel added, throwing a fist of victory up into the air. “See, Levi? Celebrating your birthday is fun!”

Levi grumbled a little and tended to his drink some more. He really didn’t like it when the spotlight was on him, as it seemed to be more and more as he grew up. People always stared at him for being a strong Alpha at his age, told his mom how pretty he was, and complimented his numerous skills. He didn’t like it. He just wanted to be left alone or in Eren’s or his mom’s company.

The wind picked up and they could hear it whistle through the bushes and trees, it even made the house creek and whine a little bit. “Hmm, you two should probably stay inside for the rest of the evening. Wouldn’t want either of you to get blown away!” Kuchel giggled, putting all of their empty mugs in the sink.

“Blown away?” Eren stared outside at the dancing leaves and one stray page of newspaper blowing across the yards. “I don’t think we could get blown away…”

“You never know,” Levi shrugged. “And if you do, I won’t be able to come save you.”

“We better stay in then,” Eren quickly agreed, hopping off of the chair and heading towards the family room. Levi followed him in, watching as Eren picked out one of the fluffy blankets from the couch and dragged out an old puzzle box.

“A puzzle?” Levi cocked his head to the side. Normally, Eren was too impatient to finish them, especially one with so many pieces.

“I want to try,” Eren slipped the lid off and kept it close so they could see the picture on top. “Come on, Levi!” he complained when Levi didn’t join fast enough.

“Okay, okay,” Levi slid under the blanket next to Eren and started picking out the pieces one by one. “Let’s start with the border first. Look for all the edges and put them in this pile…”

The two of them sat quietly while arranging all the little pieces by shapes and colors. Kuchel sat on the couch and turned the television on a low volume, flipping through the various channels until stopping on one of those romantic movies she liked. Levi listened to the narrative while mindlessly looking through the pieces.

_“I know I’m a Beta, but I know I’ll make the perfect mate for you. You don’t need an Alpha, you need someone who understands you and loves you for who you are.”_

_“But my mating mark...”_

_“I don’t care how many times you’ve been mated with someone. I don’t care if you still feel their pull. All I care about is your happiness. Just… please… be with me?”_

Levi glanced up to see them holding hands and walking into the sunset. He could have sworn his mother watched this one before, or perhaps they were all a bit similar. In a weird way, the movies helped him understand that it wasn’t so easy for his mother to escape Rod. Apparently, those mating marks on her neck played with her mind and her heart a little.

And when Eren found out he was moving, he felt that pull. Eren wasn’t his mate, but somehow, he understood his mother a little bit more. The moment he thought about Eren leaving his side, his body reacted by itself. He couldn’t control his words or movements, all he could think about was how _afraid_ he’d been.

He promptly apologized to both Eren and his parents the next day, urged on by his mother but also on his own as well. Whenever he lost control of himself, he always felt guilty afterwards even though Eren never seemed to mind that much. Luckily, Eren was quick to forgive and his parents were too. In fact, Eren lunged at him and captured him in a hug that lasted at least an hour and his parents invited him over for dinner. It was all as if it had never happened in the first place.

“Levi?” Eren gave him a little shove to get his attention back. “I found the cat’s nose.” Eren held up a piece with the cat’s little pink nose on it. He set it next to the cat’s eyes and whiskers. “And the dog’s tooth,” he set the next piece alongside the dog’s facial features.

“Good job,” Levi pat him on the head and tried piecing together the cat’s face while Eren focused on the dog’s.

“Hm?” Kuchel hopped up from her seat and took a few steps toward the front window. She squinted down the road, gasped, and pulled the curtains shut.

Levi looked at his mother inquisitively, but she just smiled and waved his concerns off. “Keep working on it, you two. Look, you’re almost half-way done!” He looked between the closed curtains and his nervous mother, but didn’t say anything. She turned on a few lamps and laughed, “It’s cozier this way, no?”

Eren hummed in agreement, completely oblivious as he was too focused on their puzzle to notice. It was hard for Levi not to notice his mother’s dramatic change in scent, going from comfortable to distressed in a matter of seconds. He put some energy into balancing it out himself so Eren wouldn’t be effected and to help calm his mother down.

What was she so concerned about? Levi wondered if it was Rod. He’d seen his car passing by the school and in their neighborhood a few times, but he assumed it was some kind of coincidence. Did his mother know something she wasn’t telling him? It wouldn’t be the first time she lied to keep him blissfully ignorant. The only issue was that Levi didn’t like to be ignorant, he liked knowing what was going on at all times.

Another quiet hour passed and it seemed Kuchel had calmed down a little, though she was still edging on nervous. She messed with her phone, texting someone, and twenty minutes later Eren’s dad showed up at the front door.

“Ready to come home, Eren?” he asked, taking a few steps in and closing the door behind him.

“No, not yet!” Eren whined, pointing to the puzzle. “Look how close we are to finishing!”

“Okay, okay, you two finish up and I’ll talk with Levi’s mom in the kitchen,” he chuckled.

As always, Levi listened in.

“He passed by again?” Grisha asked, sounding concerned.

“Yes… I don’t know what he’s planning or if he’s just checking up on me. He went by Levi’s school again yesterday while I was picking them up. I don’t know what to do…”

Grisha was quiet for a moment before answering, “I’ve got a friend in the police force. I can have him drop by here for a visit, see if there’s anything he can do to help. Whether it’s a restraining order or some kind of body guard, I know he’d be happy to help.”

“Really?” Kuchel sounded happily surprised. “A body guard might be a bit much… but I’m getting worried for Levi. Anything would help.”

“I’ll send him over tomorrow, then.”

“There!” Eren clapped his hands together, placing the final piece into the puzzle. The image of the brown dog and the black cat sitting together in the flowers was complete. “We did it!” he cheered.

Kuchel and Grisha looked over their shoulders at the picture and both of them clapped, “Well done!”

Levi was surprised. He’d spaced off so much that he didn’t realize all the progress Eren was making. “It looks good,” he complimented, patting Eren’s head. “Good job.”

“Good job,” Eren said, copying Levi and patting his head right back.

“Alright, ready to go now?” Grisha asked, extending his hand to help Eren up to his feet.

“I guess…” Eren sighed, letting his father help him up. The two of them headed out the door with a final wave and Kuchel decided to start making dinner.

Levi turned his attention back to the television where a new movie was playing. This one was more action-packed and less sappy parts, so he curled up on the sofa and decided to watch it while waiting. He grabbed the blanket he and Eren had been sharing and wrapped himself up in it, immediately hit by Eren’s leftover scent. It permeated the fibers of the blanket and clung to it. Levi brought it up to his face and nuzzled into it automatically, keeping his eyes locked on the screen.

It wasn’t like he _liked_ Eren or anything, he just smelled nice. That was all.

* * *

Eren dangled his feet off the edge of the kitchen chair and tapped his pencil on the paper. “Hmm…” he thought aloud. When neither of his parents even looked over at him, he spoke louder, “Hmm!”

“What are you thinking about, Eren?” his mother dutifully responded, flipping through another page of her magazine.

“Levi’s birthday is coming up. December… twenty-fifth! We’re going to have a party and I’m going to get him a gift! But… I don’t know what to get him…”

“Oh, his birthday, huh?” Carla tapped her chin, “I guess it is coming up soon…”

“I want to make him something special…” Eren decided, “It’s better that way.”

“Indeed,” his father agreed, “Your mother always knits me a new scarf every winter and I deeply cherish all of them.”

“Knitting? That sounds hard…”

“It’s not, really! Once you get the hang of it, you can even do it while watching a movie!” his mother encouraged. “Want me to teach you?” his mother offered with a smile.

Eren tapped his chin, that didn’t sound too bad. He nodded and started to get excited about the idea of Levi wearing something he made for him. The passing thought of Levi wearing it after he moved away made the inevitable hurt a little less to. “I’ll make him ten scarves,” Eren mumbled to himself, scribbling down the idea on his little notepad alongside _cake_ and _balloons._

“I think it’s time for bed,” Grisha set down his phone and yawned. “What do you two think?”

“Not sleepy!” Eren placed his hands on his hips.

“Really? Because you _look_ pretty sleepy,” Grisha answered back with a smile. “I guess if you aren’t sleepy, though, I know someone who might be able to change your mind.”

Eren cocked his head to the side, confused at whom his father was referring to. All of a sudden, his mother’s arms came out from behind him and started tickling at his belly, making Eren erupt into an explosion of giggles.

“The tickle monsters!” Grisha yelled while joining in, ticking under Eren’s chin and arms.

“Okay, okay, I’m sleepy, I’m sleepy!” Eren screamed through his giggles in surrender, never able to last very long in a tickle fight.

“Really? I’m not sure I believe you!” Grisha used his fake, growly monster voice.

“I am, I am!” Eren laughed and squirmed some more.

The tickles subsided and Eren panted for breath. Grisha lifted him up into his arms and carried him to the bathroom where they all brushed their teeth and washed their faces. Carla tried to brush down Eren’s mop of hair with little efforts, as every brush stroke just made it fluffier and puffier.

Eren dressed himself in his pajamas and ran to his window to check up on Levi before going to bed. It didn’t look like Levi was in bed yet and Eren pouted. He always liked to see what Levi was up to at night, his curious mind always wondering what he did when Eren wasn’t around.

After his parents kissed him goodnight and tucked him in, Eren turned on his flashlight and carefully waited for the lights to pop on in Levi’s bedroom. While he waited, he grabbed his notebook from under his bed and used a marker to write out _nighty night_. He’d wrote it out all by himself without any help, proud of not making any spelling mistakes like he usually did.

Eren’s eyes were droopy and heavy but he managed to stay awake until he saw Levi’s lap come on. His mom was talking with him for just a little and then she left the room, closing the door behind her. Eren flashed his flashlight at Levi’s window to catch his attention and rolled out of bed to hold his sign up by the window so Levi could read it.

Levi laughed, or at least looked like he was laughing, and held up his own sign: _go to bed, Eren._ Eren promptly stuck his tongue out at Levi and crawled back onto his bed and into the covers, giggling to himself.

He was finding it harder and harder to get to sleep, no matter how tired he was. When the lights turned out and he couldn’t see Levi anymore, he thought about the future when Levi wouldn’t live in that house anymore and there would be some other kid in that room. He thought about not being able to play with Levi after school and not being able to sneak into his classroom during nap time. He worried about never seeing his friend again and he couldn’t distract himself in the silent darkness like he usually could.

 _Just don’t think about it,_ Levi had told him. _It might not even happen so don’t worry about it._

Eren wanted to believe him and trust him, but it was hard whenever the adults would talk the move. Levi’s mom already had an apartment picked out that was close to Levi’s old school and she talked about how he was excited to see his old friends again. Whenever they brought up the names Farlan and Isabel, Eren’s stomach did a jealous flip and he always got into a sour mood.

Why did they get to be with Levi and Eren couldn’t? Why did they get to play with him while Levi left Eren behind? Were they better? Nicer? More fun?

“Eren?” Eren’s dad cracked his bedroom door open, letting in a stream of light. “Are you okay?”

Eren sniffled up his runny nose and wiped away the tears, not realizing he had been crying. “Fine,” he responded.

“Did you have a nightmare?”

“Yeah…” Eren lied. Though it was sort of like a nightmare.

“Do you want to sleep in our room tonight?” he asked tentatively. Whenever he usually asked, Eren threw a fit about how he was a big boy now and didn’t need to.

But that night was different. “Okay…”

Grisha helped Eren crawl out of bed and grabbed his favorite bear on their way to his parents’ room. Eren crawled up next to his mom and his dad plopped down on the other side.

“Did you have a bad dream, honey? Your scent was making us worried,” his mom brushed through his hair with her fingers.

Eren nodded and took his bear from his dad, holding it close to his chest and forbidding those nasty thoughts of Levi moving away to haunt him again. Between his parents, he felt safe and blissfully happy. And luckily, with their help, he could finally get some rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for joining me in another chapter! I'm hoping you enjoyed it <3
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	12. Chapter 12

“Who are you?” Levi asked the strange man standing in his driveway next to his mom. He glared, not liking a stranger anywhere near his house. All week he’d been irritatingly touchy and on edge for no reason at all. Even Eren noticed at school, telling Levi to stop looking so scary. He even tried to push up Levi’s brow and lips with his little fingers to form a makeshift smile, which ended up pulling a real one right out.

“Levi,” his mother scolded, whether it was his defensive scent or his tone of voice he wasn’t sure.

“It’s fine, Kuchel,” the man waved at her with a big grin, unaffected by Levi’s harsh tone and aggressive demeanor. He crouched down to Levi’s level so they could meet face to face. His blond hair and thin mustache were the first thing Levi noticed, his bright smile following that. “I’m Hannes. And you must be Levi.”

“Why are you here?” Levi glared between Hannes and his mother.

“Just hoping I could taste some of your mom’s tea. I’ve heard it’s the best in town!” he replied with a genuine smile. “I’m a friend of Eren’s family.”

“You know Eren?” Levi perked up, just a little bit.

“I’ve known him since he was a toddler! Here, look…” he dug into his back pocket for his worn, leather wallet. He pulled out a tattered and faded photo of Eren before he even knew how to walk. In the photo, he was sleeping in a onesie next to the teddy bear that still sat on Eren’s bed.

With another nervous look between Hannes and his mother, he mumbled, “I’ll go start the kettle.” He passed by the adults and went straight to the kitchen, dropping his bag on the kitchen table as he went.

There were three things he liked about Hannes and that was enough. Levi could tell he was an Alpha, but he didn’t exert his scent or smell that bad either. His goofy expression made him seem kind and he didn’t yell when he spoke. Finally, he knew Eren. All of that was enough to allow him inside and next to his mother, as if he had a choice in the matter.

After flipping the stove on and setting the shiny, metal kettle on the burner, he sat at the table to start working on his homework. He’d run out of ‘free essay’ passes from Erwin and had to write it himself. They were supposed to write an entire two pages on their favorite animal. Or was it their favorite kind of fish? Levi had to search through his notes, he could hardly concentrate at all at school.

Hannes and his mother joined him at the table, continuing their idle chat while he started jotting down words to look busy.

“They said they’d pay for me to go back to school,” his mother was talking about her new job again. “I really hope it works out. That’s almost unheard of these days!”

“Sadly enough, it is. It’s a great opportunity. What are you wanting to study?”

“Nursing, for sure. It’d be nice to be able to help people every day. Though the hours are stressful… I’m not sure how I’d balance everything out. It would be a nice change of pace, though. Much better than being a waitress.”

“I know you’d be able to manage it,” Hannes gave her an encouraging smile, one that Levi had never seen on an adult Alpha before.

“You think?” his mother brightened up instantly.

“Definitely. You said you had family in the city as well?”

“My brother…” she scratched at her head, looking embarrassed. She glanced over to Levi and back to Hannes. “He’s not really the responsible type, though.”

“We’ve all got family members like that,” Hannes shrugged. “Even so, the city is beautiful and has so many opportunities. I heard Levi has some good friends waiting for him there too.”

“Isabel and Farlan,” Levi mumbled into his paper, answering the unasked question. They’d weighed on his mind recently and he had to admit that he missed them. Isabel’s goofy smiles and strange habits kept his life interesting. Farlan’s dirty jokes and calm demeanor made them become quite close. However, thinking of them so often had him feeling guilty. Erwin and Hanji were his friends too, along with Mikasa and Armin. Those four had somehow snaked into his life and became important as well. And then there was Eren.

Hannes’ phone started buzzing and he held it up to his face instead of his ear. “Oh, Grisha’s video calling me. Mind if I answer?”

“Go ahead!” Kuchel waved him on. “He’s probably wondering how things are going here.”

Hannes flicked his finger across his phone and a very familiar voice piped up, “Hannes! Are you at Levi’s?”

“Eren, what are you doing on your dad’s phone?” he laughed heartily, clearly amused with Eren’s usual antics.

“He let me play a game on it but I got bored. What’s Levi doing?”

“What am I, chopped liver?” Hannes joked.

Eren just whined, “ _Hannes_!”

Hannes handed his phone to Levi and Eren’s eager face was on the screen. “Levi?” he smiled wide, “Hi!”

“Hi?” Levi cocked his head to the side. “You’re right next door. Why didn’t you just come over?”

“I wasn’t sure I was allowed with Hannes over.”

“That’s silly, Eren, you can come over whenever you want,” Kuchel spoke up from across the table so Eren could hear her.

The video became a blur of Eren’s living room, his front door, the brown grass of their lawns, and finally Levi’s front door. Eren burst inside, he never knocked anymore, and cheered, “Hi!”

Levi gave Hannes his phone back and ditched his essay in favor of entertaining Eren for the afternoon. Hannes took Grisha’s phone from Eren with the intent of giving it back after his visit with Kuchel.

Levi and Eren ran out into the backyard donned in heavy coats and scarves, ready to kick a ball around and attempt to climb the big tree in Levi’s yard.

* * *

“That’s three times today…” Hannes commented lowly, watching as the same silver car slowly passed down Kuchel’s street. He’d parked his car in Grisha’s driveway for the sake of secrecy and had stayed for the duration of several cups of tea.

“It’s at Levi’s school, it’s by my work… I don’t know what to do anymore,” Kuchel admitted, looking exhausted of the entire situation.

“I’ve seen mating marks drive people to do crazier things. He’s an Alpha fearful that his mate is in danger without him. And this guy seems to be fairly aggressive. I wouldn’t advise against getting the police involved in this. At least a restraining order,” Hannes sighed. It really was a terrible situation and he’d seen it happen time after time. In a world where instincts battled rationality, it was inevitable.

“Moving should solve things. I doubt he’d try to track me down in the city. We’ll be in an Omega’s and children’s complex.”

“That’s a smart move, for sure. How about Levi? How is he handling everything?”

“Surprisingly well,” Kuchel looked out to see him playing so gently with Eren. She was constantly checking on them. When she wasn’t making eye contact with Hannes or sipping on her tea, she was watching the boys. “He’s gotten quite protective, though. And a bit defensive. Not aggressive, just weary.”

“Have you considered taking him to a counselor to talk about everything that had happened? Or a therapist, perhaps?”

She bit her lip, “There aren’t many people who know about what’s happened. The Jaeger family and you are all. I’m not sure I’d be comfortable telling a stranger. I wouldn’t want them to try to have him taken from me…”

“I understand,” Hannes immediately spoke for reassurance. He really couldn’t blame her. It was obvious she and her son were close, Levi even seemed to take on the role of an Alpha in his own household to replace the ones that had walked out on them. “If he’s ever in need of someone, let me know. Sometimes it takes an Alpha to understand an Alpha, especially around the time they present.”

“Thank you,” she said genuinely. “I really worry about him.”

“It makes sense. You love him. Now…” Hannes looked out the front window where Rod was passing by yet again, as if he were just going in circles around their house. He wondered if Rod could pick up on the scent of a new Alpha around the area. “What to do about him…”

“I still feel the pull of my last partner’s bond…” She thumbed over the faint scar peeking out from her new one. “Breaking a bond is a lot more difficult than people make it out to be.”

“I know that for sure,” Hannes exposed his own fading mating mark. “We broke up ten years ago.”

Both of them looked at one another with the same sympathetic stare, finding common ground in their own struggles and sorrows.

“I’m being relocated to the city as well. Grisha said we were going through some similar circumstances. I’ll give you my number, so call me if you need anything. If you don’t mind, I think it’d be wise if I stopped in every now and again this week for some tea and to check up on the situation.”

“I’d like that,” she quickly agreed, smiling and nodding with enthusiasm.

“And hey, if you ever need someone to watch over Levi while you’re at your new job or school, you can always give me a call,” he offered.

“That’d be amazing! I’d love to return the favor too. Do you have any kids?” Kuchel asked.

“Nah, we never… we couldn’t,” he scratched the back of his neck. “But Eren has always been more than enough for me. That little guy has more energy than an army of soldiers, I swear.”

Kuchel laughed at that, “Oh, I know. I don’t know how they do it. Just watching them tires me out…”

Hannes hadn’t expected it to be quite so lovely, but Kuchel was kind and comforting in her own elegant kind of way. It was a shame anyone even thought about taking advantage of that and bringing turmoil to a sweet pair like Kuchel and Levi. Hannes’ blood almost boiled if it weren’t for her sweet little laugh, watching the two boys chase each other around the yard.

“Eren thinks he’s Levi’s mate,” she mused. “I hate to tear them apart.”

“They’ll stay in touch, I’m sure. Weekend visits, letters, and phone calls…” Hannes tried to help. “He thinks they’re mates? It explains why he’s so attached to him.”

“They’re so close, it’s… adorable, really. Remember the age-old tales of soulmates? Carla and I always joked that our children were bound to be together, even while we were still in high school together. With those two, it’s hard to even think about breaking them apart. Did Grisha tell you about what happened when Eren found out we might move?”

Eren was always one to overreact and make judgements based purely off of his emotions. Still, the story seemed to bring out the extremes of both children. “Yeah, he told me. It really is a shame, but sometimes that’s just how things have to go. At least Levi has his friends back in the city and Eren has his friends here. They won’t be alone. He’s got you, too! That’s the most important thing.”

After another twenty minutes, Hannes promised to do some investigative work on Rod and stop by again soon. Just as he exited the front door, that infuriating silver car came cruising up the street once more. He gave a cheeky wave to the dark-haired, plump driver who just glared back. Hannes knew about the crazy things people did when they were in love, and he feared them as well. He took a silent vow to make sure Kuchel and Levi were safe, no matter what.

* * *

Eren seemed happy to see Levi looking less pouty and more himself with every passing minute. They both tired themselves out and lay on their backs in the grass. Instead of talking about the sad things like Levi moving away, they talked about the stupidly funny things and played the silly games Eren always made up.

“Would you rather be a shark or a bear?” Eren asked. “I think I’d rather be a bear.”

“Why’s that?”

“They get to climb trees up really high. I’d be able to climb that big tree and we’d finally make it past the first branch.” Eren pointed to the tree in Levi’s yard. It’s one low hanging branch didn’t allow them to climb up any further so they just ended up sitting on the lowest branch, defeated. “What would you be?”

“A bear.”

“Why?”

“If you’re a bear, I’m a bear.”

Eren snorted, “We’d be good bears.”

Levi continued the game, “Would you rather be a bird or a snake?”

“A bird. Then I could fly around. What about you?”

“A bird so I could fly around with you.”

“Are you just copying everything I say?” Eren caught on to Levi’s little trick and dramatically raised an eyebrow to him.

“Yeah,” Levi admitted with a guilty laugh.

“A rabbit or a fox? You first this time,” he insisted so Levi didn’t cheat.

“A fox,” he answered easily. “And you?”

“A rabbit!” Eren answered, just to differ from Levi.

“Perfect,” Levi smirked.

“What? Why?”

“Then I get to eat you,” he answered darkly, flopping over to start tickling Eren from head to toe.

“Hey, hey, hey!” Eren contested, writhing in Levi’s grasp trying to hold back the storm of giggles. His resolve didn’t last long as he burst out into fits of laughter until his gut just couldn’t take it anymore.

Levi sensed he was running out of breath and stopped, panting and smiling himself from laughing so much too.

“What was Hannes doing at your house?” Eren finally asked. “I asked my dad but he just said to not ask.”

“So, you’re asking?”

“Yep.”

“He came to drink some tea with my mom.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

“Well, that’s boring,” Eren laughed, watching the sheet of grey clouds pass by endlessly.

“Yeah, probably,” Levi shrugged. He’d never tell Eren the real reason Hannes was stopping by, it just wasn’t necessary.

“Hey… is that?” Eren squinted at the sky and both of them watched as a singular puffy snowflake floated down slowly, landing on the tip of Eren’s nose. They both paused for just a moment until Eren jumped up from his spot and started screaming, “Snow! Snow! It’s snow!”

One by one, the clumpy flakes followed in a slow and drifting descent. It wasn’t nearly cold enough for them to actually pile up and stick around, but it was enough to get them both excited. Eren leapt up, trying to catch them in his hands and Levi felt them land on his eyelashes and cheeks, melting almost immediately against his skin.

Kuchel and Eren’s parents came out of their back doors to watch the snowfall as well and call the boys inside. As disappointed as they were to part, the sky had grown rather dark and it was time for dinner. They shared their traditional hug goodbye and both raced inside. Levi stripped off his winter clothes and got back to work on his essay, deciding that he’d write about bears or birds or foxes. He ended up going with bears and borrowed his mom’s computer to do all the research and got the entire thing done in an hour and a half. His mom read it over without even making any red marks and he was set for school the next day.

“Do you like Hannes?” his mom asked out of the blue.

“Yeah, he’s okay,” Levi answered honestly. He still hadn’t completely warmed up to the Alpha but wasn’t opposed to him. Most people his mom had over were nice at first but mean later, with the exception of Eren’s parents.

“Would you care if he stopped by a little more often?”

“No,” Levi answered quickly and without much thought. He knew why the police officer would be over and as long as he wasn’t going to take him away from his mom or hurt them, he could be over there as much as he liked. In fact, Levi would want him there often just to keep Rod away. He bet Rod was pretty angry with another Alpha coming over, which made him laugh in his head.

“Good,” she took a breath of relief and started serving up dinner. “If you didn’t like it, I’d make sure he didn’t come back again.”

“I know, but it’s fine,” he assured, clearing off the table and sitting in his usual spot while watching the flurries slowly dance alongside one another until hitting the ground and melting.

“He’s moving to the city as well to work in their police department. Isn’t that kind of cool? We won’t be alone, then.”

“So, I won’t have to stay with Uncle Kenny again?” Levi asked, curious. The time he spent with his uncle wasn’t exactly fun and most of the time he ended up sitting on a sticky couch watching soap operas. It was terrible. Not to mention the horrible smells coming from all the different rooms and the strange people passing in and out.

“Nope!” she confidently replied. “Never again.”

Levi smiled at that and the thought of moving bore just a tiny bit less weight than it had. He knew it would be good for his mom and that was all that was supposed to matter. Right? This was a good thing, wasn’t it? Still, if it was so good, why did it hurt his heart so much?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading <3<3<3
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	13. Chapter 13

The winter season appeared almost overnight after one very intense snowstorm. Their suburban neighborhood was dressed in a white blanket, coating every little thing with a few inches of fluffy cold. In fact, the storm was _so_ bad that they had _cancelled_ school for the day which sent Eren into a wildly happy frenzy. “Snow day, snow day!” he chanted at breakfast.

“You better enjoy them while they last!” his father warned. “When you’re old like me, you don’t get snow days! You still have to go to work.”

“Then I’ll never get old like you!” he promised with a grin. “I want to go play outside with Levi.”

“After lunch, okay? This morning, you’re going to clean your room,” his mother decided. “While you do that, I’ll call Kuchel to see what Levi’s doing today. If you do a good job, you two can play.”

Eren’s face scrunched up in disappointment and he crossed his arms firmly, “No.”

His dad looked up from the newspaper and raised an eyebrow at him in warning, “No?”

Eren shook his head, “No. I don’t want to clean my room. It’s clean already.”

“Is it?” Grisha tapped his chin. “I don’t know… Let’s go take a look.”

Eren hopped down from the dining chair and raced to show off his clean room to his parents as proof that he could go play _now_ and not _later_. He knew his dad would only have to take one step into his bedroom to see that there was no more tidying to be done.

* * *

Unfortunately, Grisha couldn’t even take one step in as there was a mound of little, plastic stacking blocks forming a barricade right in front of the doorway. The entire bucket had been spilled out along the carpet. Beyond them was an elaborate set-up of action figures and their secret bases, meeting in the middle for an all-out battle royale. Eren’s bed was just a pile of his blankets with his stuffed animals surrounding it as if they were doing some kind of volcanic ritual. There were notes and pictures for Levi taped up on his window, blocking out the light. Grisha didn’t even want to look inside Eren’s closet, knowing that the moment he’d open the door a pile of who-knows-what would be waiting to topple him to the ground.

“ _See?_ ” Eren pressed, tugging at his dad’s pant leg. “It’s _clean_!”

Grisha held in a bubble of laughter that _this_ is what his son considered tidy. He took a deep breath and sighed, “Eren, I think you’re delusional.”

“I’m what?”

He laughed and ruffled his son’s hair, “I think you need to take a second look. This is definitely not clean.”

He went to go sweep the little blocks aside to get into the room when Eren’s hand stopped him. “ _Wait!_ They’re supposed to be right there. Don’t move them, I put them like that!”

“Did you now?”

Eren nodded, “It’s a good decoration.”

“Is that what you’re calling it? Are all these things decorations?”

“Yep!” he chirped happily. “All of it. So, it’s clean, right?”

“You sneaky little thing,” Grisha laughed. “Come on now, clean it all up before your mother has a heart attack.”

Eren sighed dramatically and whined, “But I want to go play outside with Levi.”

“The faster you get this cleaned up, the faster you’ll be able to go play. Okay?”

He slumped and pouted, “Fine…”

“Levi’s always got a clean room, doesn’t he?”

Eren thought for a moment and slowly nodded.

Grisha smirked, “I bet he’d think it’s really cool if your room was just as neat and tidy as his, wouldn’t he?”

A flash crossed Eren’s face and he darted into his bedroom to get to work. Grisha wondered if he should feel a little bad for teasing his son like that, but figured it got the job done well enough. He joined Carla back in the kitchen and confirmed, “He’s cleaning.”

“How’d you manage that?”

“Don’t question a father’s methods, dear,” he innocently smiled.

“You told him Levi would want his room clean, didn’t you?” she flatly asked, though it was more of a statement than anything.

“How did you…?” Grisha stared at her with wide eyes.

“I do the same thing,” she blushed. “We’re horrible, aren’t we?”

Grisha sighed and cleaned his glasses lenses on his shirt, “Probably. I’m honestly wishing they didn’t have to move away. It can’t be helped, though. She’s got to follow her dreams, it’s an opportunity that can’t be lost. I told her once she was finished with her schooling, I’d be able to help her get a job back in this area at the hospital.”

“It’s nice that Hannes is moving to that area too, it makes me happy that she’s got someone to rely on as well…” Carla joined her mate at the table and leaned on his shoulder. “It really breaks my heart to know they won’t be together anymore. They’ve gotten so close…”

“Hopefully it won’t be forever,” was all Grisha could say to lighten the mood. It truly was a shame, he’d grown quite fond of Kuchel and Levi and would even consider them a part of the family. Despite the few bumps in the road, he trusted Levi with Eren and enjoyed knowing that he had an older friend to help look out for him when Carla and Grisha couldn’t.

“I better get back to the hospital. I’m positive we’re going to start getting a lot of ice-related injuries soon. They’ll definitely need all the help they can get,” Grisha started throwing on his coat, kissing his wife goodbye. “I’ll let you know when I’m on my way home. It seems they’ve been needing more help than usual lately and it’s difficult to leave on time when I know they need me.”

Carla, as always, completely understood like the angel she was. She kissed him once more and ran her fingers though his growing beard, “You make me so proud every day.”

The words always stirred up old sparks in his aging heart and always made him feel young again. “Thank you, dear. I love you and I’ll see you tonight.”

* * *

Levi’s mom zipped his parka up and adjusted his hat to properly cover his ears. She tightened up his scarf and checked that he had both of his mittens on. He could hardly move in the entire ensemble, wiggling his legs in the swishy snow pants and feeling the heavy boots on his feet. The boots fit snugly because he was told to wear at least two pairs of socks under them.

“I feel like a marshmallow,” he complained softly.

“You look warm, though,” Kuchel grinned. “And that’s all that matters. I don’t want you catching a cold.”

“The others will be here soon, can I _please_ go?” he asked politely, his eyes darting out the window to make sure they weren’t out there waiting for him.

“Okay, okay, go on. Be safe, okay? Let me know if anything… strange… happens, okay?” she worried and repeated her words in a nervous frenzy. Levi knew exactly what was making her nervous but knew in just an hour, Hannes would be over and she’d feel much more relaxed. That stupid silver car kept coming up and down their street a few times each day. Because of it, she kept their curtains closed tightly and didn’t let Levi go anywhere alone.

“Okay, I promise,” he tried to quell her fears. “There will be a bunch of us. Eren, Armin, and Mikasa… Erwin and Hange too. Armin’s parents will be there.”

She kissed his hot cheeks and sent him on his way, “Be safe, be good, I love you.”

“Be safe, be good, I love you too,” he returned, giving her a little wave before rushing out into the winter wonderland.

Tiny flakes fluttered from the sky, dancing around lazily in the winter breeze. Everything was doused in white and the sidewalks were slippery as hell. Levi trudged through the grass instead of the pavement to avoid slipping as he headed over to Eren’s house. Eren, of course, was waiting at his front step and jumped up to meet Levi in the middle of their two yards.

“Ready?” Levi asked, wanting to laugh at how puffy Eren looked in his snowsuit.

“Yep!” he cheered. “Levi, I even cleaned me room today!”

“Did you? That’s good, it needed it. You’re kind of a messy little piglet.”

“A _piglet_?” Eren gaped. “ _I am not_!”

Levi just laughed and gave him a little nudge, “Are too.”

The younger huffed and squatted down to scoop a handful of snow in to his mitten, promptly throwing the sloppy snowball at Levi’s head. It missed terribly, so he tried again and Levi stopped moving so he could hit him in the arm. “Ha!” Eren barked out with a victorious smirk.

“Good one,” Levi complimented, dusting off the snow from his sleeve. “But you’ve got to be less obvious if we’re going to win this snowball fight.”

“So, you’ll be on my team?” Eren was glowing.

“Of course,” Levi rolled his eyes. “I think everyone would be surprised if we _weren’t_ on the same team.”

Walking through the knee-deep snow was like walking through water until they’d finally made it to the plowed road where they could race a little faster. Levi held onto Eren’s hand so he wouldn’t slip and fall on the icy patches and finally they’d made it to the park just down the block. The playground equipment was covered in white and they found their friends waiting on the basketball court.

“ _Finally_!” Hange waved to them. “We’ve been waiting for _forever_!”

“It’s been two minutes…” Erwin laughed, pushing her into the snow.

“Two minutes too long!” she complained, getting up to dust herself off. “We’ll take this side of the court and you guys can take the other! If you get hit, you’re out! Let’s start building our forts!”

Mikasa ran up to Eren and Levi, apparently having decided she’d be on their team. The three of them got right to work, piling up snow into a makeshift wall that came up to their chests. They all snuck peeks at Hange, Armin, and Erwin’s wall which seemed to curve around them for extra protection.

“I’m going to dig out a hole for throwing…” Eren decided, punching his fist through the middle of their wall.

“Let’s work on the sides,” Mikasa suggested to Levi, both of them taking a side to fortify.

Once both teams had built their defenses, the battle was on. Levi and Mikasa threw the first two snowballs, poking out from the sides of their wall to lob them over towards the other side. The balls hit the opposing team’s wall and crashed against it, making Hange cackle.

“You’ll never break through Wall Hange!”

“Is that what we decided to call it?” Erwin questioned.

“Take _this_!” Hange ignored him, tossing over a few snowballs consecutively over to the to the other side, all of them clearing the wall but missing those behind it.

“There’s only one way to end this…” Eren spoke quite darkly. “We’ve got to go beyond the walls.”

“They’ll hit you if you do,” Mikasa took hold of Eren’s sleeve to keep him from bolting out into the battlefield.

“It’s the only way,” he argued, building up a few snowballs to take with him.

“Let me do it instead, then,” she started making her own as well.

“No, Mikasa, I can do this,” he tried to assure her. “You keep making snowballs for when I have to run back and get some more. You too, Levi.”

“Whatever you say, Eren,” he shrugged knowing that there was no talking Eren out of this suicide mission. Occasionally, he’d get that stubborn look in his eye that wouldn’t leave until he got his way. Levi figured it’d be best to let him run out in an attempt to win the battle.

“Fine, then I’ll shield you,” Mikasa decided. “At least then they’ll waste time throwing them at me while you can attack them from behind.”

Levi looked up to her, realizing it was actually a good idea.

“You stay here where it’s safe,” Eren tried to be noble and brave.

“Actually,” Levi sat him back down. “It’s a good idea. Let her protect you and when you come back here, I’ll do the same. We’ve got to sacrifice ourselves for our team’s victory.”

Eren bit his lip for a moment before finally nodding. He gathered up as many snowballs as he could carry before giving Mikasa the signal to get moving.

“They’re coming out!” Armin yelled, “This is our chance!”

“Get them!” Hange shrieked, tossing over as many snowballs as she could muster.

Mikasa valiantly dove in front of them all, getting hit numerous times before falling to the ground and yelling for Eren to avenge her. Eren got a meter away from the enemy’s post and unleashed the gobs of snow he’d been clenching onto, getting both Erwin and Armin before rushing back toward his side.

“I don’t _think_ so!” Hange dramatically shouted, tossing the biggest snowball any of them had made at that point at Eren, hitting him in the back and causing him to fall face first onto the fluffy ground.

“She got me!” he rolled over and started giggling. “I’m dead!”

Mikasa dragged him off the battleground, leaving a final showdown of Levi versus Hange. Both of them had their allies to avenge and neither would give up no matter the cost. They both formed one last snowball and bolted out in front of their walls at the same time, rushing toward one another in a cinematic show.

Two snowballs were thrown at the same time, crashing into one another in midair. Hange skidded to a stop to make another, but Levi had a trick up his sleeve. He literally had made one small snowball and tucked it into his mitten. It had melted a little against his warm hand but was still enough to dig out and throw right at Hange’s hat. It hit her square on and his team had gotten their victory.

“Yay!” Eren hopped up and down cheering.

“A fight well won,” Erwin commented, laughing at Levi’s sneaky tactic.

“You got me,” Hange faked her death, falling into a nearby snow pile. “We have been defeated!”

They moved on to making snowmen out of their walls, pushing all the snow together in order to create the biggest mound possible. It was more of a snow blob than anything, but they’d made good work of arranging some rocks and sticks into a face and fixing the creature with two little arms and topped him off with an old newspaper hat. All the while, they attempted to nail each other with snowballs and sometimes took breaks to eat some of the clean snow even though their parents had warned them not to.

Unfortunately, the snow day had to eventually come to an end. All the kids had tuckered themselves out and Eren’s stomach was grumbling. They all waved their goodbyes and Levi and Eren had thanked Armin’s parents for letting them all play together.

On their walk home, Levi took Eren’s hand again and kept a lookout for Rod’s silver car. Luckily enough, it looked like the snow and ice kept him at bay and Levi was grateful. He hated how it made him so nervous and didn’t like to see his mother so afraid. Apparently, they were going to try to sign some papers so Rod had to stay away but Rod didn’t want to. Levi wished he’d just go ahead and leave them alone for good.

“Oh, look, Hannes is at your house again. Is he your dad or something?” Eren asked.

“No,” Levi quickly spoke. “He just likes my mom’s tea.”

“You always say that… Are you sure?”

“My dad lives far away,” Levi reminded him. “Across the sea.”

“Do you ever get to see him?”

“No.”

“Don’t you miss him?”

“No.”

Eren paused, frowned, and looked to the ground. His scent took a dramatic shift from elated to afraid. “Are you going to miss me when you go away?”

Levi stopped in his tracks, pulling Eren to a stop as well. He gave Eren a hard look, wanting to emphasis his sincerity. “Eren, I’ll miss you the most.”

“But you don’t even miss your dad. Then you won’t miss me either!” Eren argued with tears in the corners of his eyes. He tried to break his hand away from Levi’s, but Levi wasn’t going to let go.

“Of course, I’ll miss you!” Levi shouted. “I don’t even want to go! I want to stay here with you!”

“But you’re still leaving,” Eren muttered, avoiding eye contact and pouting at the ground. “Just let go. I want to go home.”

“No,” Levi tried to stay calm, but it wasn’t easy. He hated that Eren was doubting him. He wanted to prove to him that Eren was probably the most important person to him aside from his own mom.

“Levi…” Eren whined, pulling his hand away with no avail. His scent escalated and the bitter scent had Levi trembling. “Don’t use that voice that makes me do things. Just let go.”

The words had Levi unlatching from Eren in an instant. “Sorry,” he mumbled. “I just… I’m really going to miss you. I don’t want to go away.”

Eren didn’t seem appeased at all, he just kept walking forward. His walk turned into a run and he stepped on a patch of ice, falling backward. Levi caught him in time but Eren just huffed and continued forward. He sniffled and wiped away the tears from his eyes and stopped in the middle of the street for a second. “I’m really going to miss you,” he let out before letting out a sob.

Levi brought him in for a hug, wanting to cry too. He held Eren’s face against his coat to shield him from the snowflakes falling from above and bit his quivering lip. “I’ll miss you too,” he could only say. “I’ll miss you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I thank you for reading! Your comments make me so happy and I'm always so glad to know that you're enjoying it so far. I appreciate every single one of you that are reading, it warms my heart <3 Remember not to eat dirty snow. <3
> 
> I am so so happy to say that a very very lovely person by the name of [Stringlish](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Stringlish/works) has drawn a beautiful illustration inspired by this chapter! You can view it [here](http://stringlish.tumblr.com/post/165468289655/okay-so-i-draw-stuff-or-doodle-really-rarely%0A)! Not only are they an incredibly beautiful and kind person, but their talent as an artist has me seeing stars. I have no clue how to thank you properly, words are simply not enough. <3 I hope you all check it out <3
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	14. Chapter 14

The long knitting needles were far too large for his hands and his mother warned him for the fifth time not to poke his eye out as she guided him through the motions. Eren had chosen a bright red yarn that matched the big, red holiday bows and the warm lanterns everyone had been hanging outside against the crisp, white snow. His family didn’t celebrate Christmas like other families did and he never bought into the story of the man in the red hat with the reindeer, but he swore not to spoil it for others. Like his dad always said, magic existed in whatever you believed in.

Eren wondered if he believed hard enough that he’d get a holiday wish. There were plenty of stories about kids who wished on a star or found some kind of magic lamp, perhaps there was something out there for Eren too. He doubted he’d get visited by an old man with a long white beard, but he wouldn’t mind it if a fairy dropped by his window every once and a while.

“Look at you go!” his mom cheered when Eren got a few rows done on his own. They didn’t look anything like his mother’s neatly weaved yarn and there were a few holes in his stitches.

“Show me how to do it better,” he demanded. “Fix it.”

“It just takes practice,” she kept saying, readjusting the ball of yarn and spreading out the start of the scarf across Eren’s lap. She reached over to take the needles away from him, but he pulled back.

“No, I need to do it by myself!”

“Then don’t tell me to fix it,” she giggled.

He sighed and pursed his lips, “I want it to be perfect.”

“I think Levi will like it no matter what,” she promised.

It felt like they’d been working at the project for days when it had really only been a few hours. They were cooped up on a snowy night and Eren’s dad was at the hospital. It was the perfect opportunity to work on Levi’s present, but Eren was getting more than frustrating at both how difficult the task was and how long it’d take. The scarf was only a few messy inches long at that point and he’d been struggling the entire way through.

He set the needles down on the couch and stared at the ground. “I can’t do it,” he finally gave up.

“Eren,” his mother took his chin and warmly smiled, “You can do anything you put your mind to. This is your first time, so it’s going to be hard. But you’ve been doing so well. And if I know you, which I do, I’d say you’re a bit too stubborn to quit so early.”

Her encouragement had him smiling again and he picked up the too-big sticks once more to maneuver the yarn around itself to form a proper loop. He took a deep breath and finally asked for his mother to really help him, which she happily obliged. Carla took him into her lap and wrapped her arms around him, showing him how to really make those needles work to his benefit. The red yarn started to string together beautifully and Eren’s eyes nearly glowed with excitement.

The only sound in the room was the clicking of those metal needles and the soft, unintelligible noise coming out lowly from the television. Eren’s mom spoke, breaking that comfortable silence and brought in a less desirable topic to the otherwise peaceful setting. “Eren, I know you’re upset about Levi and Kuchel moving…”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Eren quickly steamrolled her over, forbidding the looming discussion. He wondered why’d she even bring it up in the first place, knowing that he was still sour about it and refused to fully believe the fact.

“I know you think Levi is your mate,” she slowly spoke.

It was a secret they were supposed to keep together, but he may have let the word slip out once or twice. He blushed at his inability to keep things quiet. “He _is_ my mate,” Eren protested in a grumble.

“Eren, you know that becoming someone’s mate isn’t just saying it out loud…” she started, still maneuvering the knitting needs from behind him. “It’s not just a promise or something to call the other person.”

He didn’t say anything, still stuck on the idea that they were mates and nothing she said could change that. The anger in his belly was churning and growing as she continued to doubt the fact.

“When you decide to become someone’s mate, they leave a mark on your neck like this one,” she pointed to her own mark, the scar that many adults wore on their neck. Everyone’s looked a little different. “The person you’ve decided is your mate will bite you so hard that it leaves a scar like this one.”

“They _bite_ you?” Eren gaped. He’d gotten in trouble for biting Levi before during a playful wrestling match and even bit his dad once out of spite. He was firmly told _not_ to bite _anyone._

“Yes, and when they do, you form an unbreakable bond. You can feel what they feel, you hurt when they hurt. It’s a _very_ serious matter that should _not_ be taken lightly,” she used her most sincere voice so Eren knew what she was saying was extremely important. He tried to commit every word to memory, which wasn’t really that easy.

“That bond lasts _forever_ , no matter what. Even if you go far away or decide you don’t like each other anymore, that bond will unite you even so,” she added.

“So, when do you decide to bite someone else?” Eren asked quietly, his hands limp on the needles as his mom knit.

“When you’re older, much older. You’ve got to spend a lot of time with the person so you know for sure that they’re the one you want to be with forever. You’ve got to make sure you’re in love.”

“In love?”

“Yes, like your father and I.”

“Well, you always say you love me and dad does too. Are you two going to bite me?”

She laughed and shook her head. “You only bite the person you love _romantically,_ like how your dad loves me. Or like how Erwin’s dads love each other. Or…” she tried to think of other examples. “Like how moms and dads love each other, really.”

Eren hummed in thought, wondering if Levi was really his mate. He liked being around Levi and didn’t like it when they had to separate. Everything tended to be more fun with Levi around, even boring things like naptime or homework. But love? He shook his head and sighed, “He’s my best friend. And I don’t want him to leave.”

Her arms came around him tightly and warmly, “I know, honey. But think about it this way. You have _so_ much more time to spend with Levi before they go. You’ve got the rest of winter and the springtime. The entire rest of the school year. Spending your time being sad will only make Levi sad to. Maybe you should focus on being your happy, cheerful, bubbly self so Levi doesn’t get sad.”

Eren calculated the thought in his mind and bit his lip. Whenever they talked about Levi going away, his friend always got that sad look in his eye. Whenever Eren started crying because he knew he’d miss Levi so much, Levi cried too. A very strange and bitter smell would surround them and made them both feel even worse, weighing down on them and making both of them feel too tired to even smile.

“Promise you’ll try to stay positive?” she asked, setting their knitting project aside and spinning him around in her lap. “Can you do that for Levi, at least?”

Eren nodded, though he wasn’t completely sure. If trying meant that Levi would be happier, he’d do it.

 

That night, Eren waited at his window watching the snow drift down from the clouds. The white specks reflected off the street lights while those in the darkness were almost impossible to see. He leaned against the sill and sighed, looking at each little flake as it passed by.

Would wishing on a snowflake make his dream come true? Were they like stars or genies in magic lamps? It was impossible to see any stars or even the moon with all the winter clouds above, would a snowflake suffice?

Right then, one of them was flung right onto the glass of the window and Eren could inspect it. He’d learned in class that each snowflake was completely different, just like people. They all had different shapes, sizes, and patterns. Some had little spindly patterns while others had shaper edges. He squinted hard to see that the one that had landed on his window looked like a star with five pointed edges coming out from the center.

“I wish he didn’t have to go,” Eren whispered for the last time, putting all his hopes on the single, tiny snowflake. He promised himself that he wouldn’t cry anymore, he wouldn’t beg or plead. He wouldn’t make Levi sad again. Instead, he’d keep those feelings stored away until the day finally came.

* * *

“We got back much later than I planned, I’m so sorry. Good think we got your homework done before we left.” Kuchel set down their holiday shopping bags on the dining table. “I’d say it’s definitely time to get ready for bed.”

Levi nodded and rushed to his bedroom to change into his night clothes and start to warm up from the outside chill. His ears hurt as well as his nose and he loathed the snot dripping from his nostrils. Winter was pretty but he much preferred spring or fall, when the temperatures weren’t so extreme.

His eyes were drawn to Eren’s room, as always. He found it to be a habit every time he walked into his bedroom, even if Eren was already with him. Sometimes Eren would already be asleep, his room too dark to view. Other times, he’d be bribing his parents to stay up a little later or spending his last few minutes awake playing some kind of game. Once in a while, Eren looked like he was waiting for Levi to look out his window.

And there he was, leaning against the sill with a sulky expression. He seemed to be staring at the snow quite intensely, completely absorbed in the sight. Levi slipped his jacket off and hung it up in his closet, wondering what Eren could be thinking about. Whatever it was, it had to be pretty important. Eren’s attention span only allowed him to think hard about a small number of things.

Levi stalked over to his window and waited for Eren to notice him. Luckily, it didn’t take long. Eren looked up and his troubled expression melted away into his typical sunshiny smile. He waved almost frantically and seemed to be saying something that Levi couldn’t hear. Eren pointed to the snow and back to Levi and did a little dance of some sort, overjoyed at something. Levi laughed, wondering what nonsense he could be gushing over. No matter what it was, Levi was happy that Eren seemed to be enjoying himself.

He grabbed is whiteboard and scribbled down his usual _goodnight, Eren_ surrounded by a sketch of the moon and stars. Eren always liked the night sky and if he couldn’t see it, Levi figured he’d draw it out for him.

Eren wrote back the same thing, _goodnight, Levi_ surrounded by, what Levi guessed to be, snowflakes.

Right on time, Eren’s parents came into Eren’s room to tuck him in for the night and Levi joined his mom out in the kitchen to watch her putting away the holiday and year end gifts they’d bought.

“Still haven’t decided what to get Eren?” she asked. They’d been to dozens of stores that day, but nothing felt right. Eren didn’t want any new toys or games and he grew out of clothes the moment after he got them. He had so many stuffed animals, they all couldn’t fit on his bed anymore. Any books that Eren got, he had Levi read to him and they still had stacks to go before they’d finished them all. With no other ideas left, Levi just shook his head and shrugged.

She set aside the special spices and exotic teas she was going to give Carla and Grisha. She tapped on her chin in thought, really trying to be helpful. The entire day, she just told him to keep an open mind and look around without any other directions or suggestions. “Has he been wanting anything recently?”

Levi bit his lip, knowing that he really couldn’t give Eren what he’d really been wanting. “No,” he lied. He figured his mom wouldn’t retract their decision to move away as a holiday gift.

“How about something homemade?” she suggested.

“Like what?”

“One year, Uncle Kenny made me a coupon book filled with things that he’d do for me once I cashed them in. Most of them were offers to beat up whomever I chose, but there were still some good ones in there like a free ice cream cone from the parlor down the street or a ride to the movies. He wrote one out for every day of the new year.”

“Uncle Kenny did that?” Levi had to laugh. He couldn’t picture him doing anything remotely sentimental like that.

“He did,” she smiled warmly. “He was a good brother sometimes. I don’t think he’s learned how to be a good uncle yet, but he’s trying.”

Levi wondered if Uncle Kenny knew anything about Rod yet and he figured not. His uncle always hated the guys his mom dated and promised Levi he’d beat them up if they hurt either of them. Levi sort of thought it was a shame he never followed through, though knew it was probably better for his uncle to stay as far away as possible from their lives. Usually the less time spent with Uncle Kenny, the better.

“He wrote out something for every day of the year…” Levi repeated slowly, the gears in his brain finally turning. “Okay, I might have an idea.”

“You do? Perfect!”

“I’ll start on it tomorrow,” he decided firmly.

She clapped with victory and set the rest of the gifts aside too. “Let’s get you into bed, okay? Also, remember how you sometimes stay at Eren’s house for a week?”

Levi hummed, knowing exactly what was coming next.

“It’s about that time again. Will you be okay staying there?”

“Yeah,” he easily replied. He secretly anticipated the one week he’d get to spend at the Jaeger household. “Are you going to be here?”

She shook her head, “I’ve got to go away for a bit.”

Levi bit his lip. The last time she did that, Rod ended up coming back home with her.

She must have sensed his uneasiness and patted his hair, “It’ll be fine. I’ll be fine. I promise.”

“Where are you going to stay?”

“A hotel.”

He slowly nodded, the answer sufficing enough. While he wasn’t completely informed on what his mother did during her week away, he had a good enough idea to worry. He didn’t want her hanging around with strangers nor with Rod. He’d rather have her stay at home where Hannes could stop by and make sure Rod stayed away. “Why don’t you just stay here?” he finally asked.

She paused the way she always did before talking about something sensitive. “I don’t think I’d have the right supplies here to manage for a week. The house would get pretty smelly while I’m busy and I know that wouldn’t be good for you. I wouldn’t have time to clean either, so it’s better that I stay somewhere else.”

The vague explanation was good enough for Levi and he shrugged the topic off, not caring to investigate any further. He followed his mother into the bathroom and they went through their usual pattern together. They brushed their teeth, washed their faces, and brushed their hair. The comfortable pattern had Levi falling drowsy and he realized just how tiring holiday shopping was. His eyes were drooping shut by the time his mother finished combing out the tangles near the back of his head. He wondered if he was too old to have his mom brushing out his hair, but it felt nice and no one else needed to know about it.

He changed into his night clothes and could barely stay awake enough for his mother to come into his room and kiss him goodnight. She did it every night without fail and he wondered if he was too old for that too. He knew it made her happy, so he didn’t say anything about it. Her calming presence always made it a little easier to sleep as well.

He glanced out at the snowfall and Eren’s darkened window. His heart stirred with excitement for the holiday, something that he had never truly felt before. He could care less about his birthday and wasn’t big on celebrations. Even so, he couldn’t wait to see the look on Eren’s face when he handed over his gift. Perhaps the holidays wouldn’t be so bad if he could spend them with Eren and their parents. He’d definitely find a way to make them more interesting, that was for sure.

Levi rolled over and held the blankets close up to his chin, letting go of the foreboding eventuality of moving away. He still had the rest of the year and that was good enough. Of course, that was what he’d keep telling himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for joining me for another chapter! A quick update due to the motivation given to me by [Stringlish](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Stringlish/works) who, if you haven't seen it yet, has drawn a beautiful illustration inspired by the previous chapter! You can view it [here](http://stringlish.tumblr.com/post/165468289655/okay-so-i-draw-stuff-or-doodle-really-rarely%0A)! I am still possibly crying over the cuteness of it. Please take a look <3 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	15. Chapter 15

Levi plopped his duffle bag on Eren’s surprisingly clean bedroom floor and made sure to thank Eren’s parents for letting him stay for the week. He personally thought he was old enough to just stay at home by himself, but wouldn’t ever deny the chance to spend a week with Eren. His little friend always kept things interesting and was constantly making Levi smile without realizing it. And, for some stupid reason, Levi felt remarkably comfortable and at home whenever Eren was around—no matter where they were or what they were doing.

Eren was still buzzing with excitement as he always did whenever Levi got to stay for an entire week. “And then we’ve got to watch all six movies! And then there are two more!” Eren exclaimed having recently gotten into a new space-inspired series with holograms, space ships, and crazy aliens included. “And then there are more coming too!”

“We could probably do that,” Levi figured. That was a lot of movies to watch in just a week with school and homework to accomplish, but if it was important to Eren he’d make it work.

Firstly, though, they’d both been invited to Erwin’s house. They both gathered up their little backpacks of necessities and Carla was kind enough to drive them over. Of course, now that they were leaving, Levi was growing more aware of where all of their friends lived in relation to their neighborhood. Luckily, Erwin didn’t live too far away. In fact, he lived just across the busy road in the grouping of higher-class houses where Armin and Mikasa lived. As they got closer, the houses tended to get bigger and more extravagant. Levi assumed everyone in the neighborhood had a lot of money to spend on fancy holiday decorations and lights for their front lawns and shiny cars that reminded him of Rod’s.

“Eren, make sure you behave for Erwin’s family, okay?” Carla reminded him out of habit. Apparently when Levi wasn’t around, he tended to cause a bit of trouble. It was easy to see how Eren’s fiery emotions and stubbornness would equate to a troublesome child. However, Levi knew Eren well enough to tame the beast within.

“Okay,” he replied with annoyance. He went as far as to cross his arms and sigh a little, disappointed that his mother didn’t trust him to behave. A little red tinge on his cheeks exposed his embarrassment.

They parked in Erwin’s driveway and Carla walked them to the front door, dropping them off with one of Erwin’s dads. They exchanged contact information and chatted while Levi and Eren slipped by, shucked off their shoes, and went in search of Erwin.

Erwin was waiting for them in the basement, nose deep in some book that looked far too thick. He dropped it aside when he saw the two and greeted them with a grin. “Ready?” he asked, tossing a video game controller Levi’s way. He tossed one to Eren who was staring at the room with sparkling awe.

Levi had gotten used to the lavishness of Erwin’s home life after a few visits since his first. They got into the routine of casually trying out new games and making bets along the way or chatting about school. Erwin was a comfort to be around and always got Levi thinking. He wasn’t too annoying either, which was nice. Best of all, he was nice to Eren.

“What do you think, Eren? Racing game?” he offered, looking for something age-appropriate and fun for all of them. Most likely he was trying to make it fun for the youngest.

“Yeah!” Eren exclaimed, hopping onto the couch next to Levi. He never cared too much for special awareness and was leaning so hard against Levi they almost toppled over.

Erwin got the game started and they were all rearing and ready to go. Levi and Erwin exchanged quick glances before the checkered flag waved and the countdown ended, agreeing silently to go easy on their little friend.

“Nyoom!” Eren giggled, zipping past the NPC characters and cheering as he picked up the first item. Levi and Erwin stayed close behind, maneuvering themselves in a silent battle for second.

“Press the B button to go faster,” Levi mumbled to Eren. “And the triggers on the sides are for drifting so you can turn better.”

Eren exercised the new controls and gleamed with excitement as he went even faster around the track. He continued to bump into the walls and obstacles, but for his first time he wasn’t that bad at all. Eren sat at the edge of his seat for the last lap, biting his lip and ignoring the chatter around him as he focused. He didn’t get to beat Levi at a lot of things, so it was probably rather important to him.

“Yes!” he cheered, jumping up from the couch to bounce with victory. “I did it!”

“Yay!” Erwin threw his arms up in celebration for Eren’s win, “You were really great!”

Levi got up to ruffle Eren’s hair and smile, “Not bad at all.”

“I beat you!” Eren was hopping with pure joy. “I beat Levi!” he announced to Erwin, as if he still couldn’t believe it.

“Beginner’s luck,” Levi flicked Eren on the forehead. “We won’t take it easy on you next time.”

Eren growled at the challenge, “I’ll still beat you!”

Erwin high-fived Eren and snorted, “I bet you’ll beat Levi every time today.” He ruffled Eren’s hair as well and Levi had to stop himself from placing himself between the two. He wasn’t sure why, but Erwin’s friendly gesture bothered him and set his nerves on fire. In his mind, he knew Erwin wouldn’t ever do anything to harm Eren. The act was friendly and kind. So why did it make his jaw clench up so hard? Why did it set him on edge?

“We’ll go grab some snacks and you can pick the next course,” Erwin hit some buttons until it got to the options menu. “Be right back!”

Eren nodded and was already transfixed on the different racing courses they could do. One of them was themed like a space ship and Levi made a bet with himself that Eren would choose that one.

Meanwhile, he and Erwin took to the kitchen where Erwin picked out a few different options for snacks.

Levi thought it through and realized Erwin _wouldn’t_ hurt Eren, ever. He would do anything to make the kid happy, even if that meant letting him win at their racing game all day long or playing the same course over and over again. Out of nowhere, Levi had to ask, “You’ll keep an eye on him when I have to go, right?”

He and Erwin didn’t discuss his upcoming move much, other than the fact that there wasn’t anything anyone could really do about it. Erwin was rather logical about the subject and took the news with ease, unlike Eren and Hange.

“Yeah, of course,” Erwin promised. “I know how much he means to you.”

“There are some real brats in his class and in the classes above. He runs head first into a fight without even thinking things through…” Levi started to think it through. “It’d be really great if you could keep tabs on him.”

“Not a problem,” Erwin smiled, handing Levi some bottles of water to carry down. “I’m sure if anyone tried to pick on him, they’d have to go through Mikasa and Armin and Hange too.”

It was true, in their few months of school together they’d made a ton of new friends. All of whom would be watching out for Eren and being there for him while Levi couldn’t. It was a blessing and a curse in Levi’s mind. Eren wouldn’t have to be alone, but Levi couldn’t help but feel a little jealous that all their friends could spend time with Eren while he was stuck in the city.

“The elementary, middle, and high schools are all in the same building so it’ll be easy,” Erwin assured. “He won’t ever be alone.”

Levi gave him a pat on the back and took a breath of relief, “Thank you, Erwin. Really.” It was something that had been bothering him for days, wondering if Eren would be okay without him around all the time. For some reason, he really trusted Erwin to watch over him. Erwin definitely wouldn’t let him down.

 

After hours of video gaming fun, Carla came back to get the boys. Levi and Eren thanked Erwin and his dads for their hospitality and Eren was already planning their next playdate together. Erwin promised they’d play the outer space course again, as many times as Eren would ever want. Eren promised he wouldn’t beat them so hard next time. That left Erwin and Levi sharing a secret smile and a silent promise to not let him win so easily next time.

All during dinner, Eren couldn’t stop talking about it and Levi was positive he’d be begging for his own video game system for a few weeks until his parents cracked and got him one. It was really hard to say no to this big puppy dog eyes, it was like his secret weapon in getting whatever his little heart desired. (And he probably knew it too.)

“And then I actually _beat_ Levi _and_ Erwin!” he finished exclaiming with food in his mouth, little bits splaying with every bit of punctuated speech.

“You did, did you?” Grisha flashed a smile toward Levi, as if he knew the truth. “How lucky.”

“Yeah! I want to go back!” he clapped his hands together and pushed back his nearly empty plate. As always, he left the cooked broccoli untouched. They were spread apart on his plate to make it look like he’d been munching at them.

“Eren,” his mother warned, eyeing the vegetables. “You’re not finished yet.”

“Yes, I am!” he returned with a bright smile, acting oblivious to the fact he still had food on his plate.

Carla reached over to pile up the broccoli, proving to him that he still hadn’t eaten a single one. “This better be finished before it gets cold.”

“But Mom,” Eren protested with a pout. He crossed his arms and slumped back in his chair. Even at this little altercation, Eren’s scent was wavering on distress. Levi laughed to himself, Eren really couldn’t keep a hold on his own emotions.

“Levi’s finished his plate,” Grisha started picking up the dishes. “Looks like he wins at dinner.”

“Wins at dinner?” Eren processed the thought and started gobbling up the broccoli in record time. “Now we’re _tied_!”

Carla burst out laughing and Grisha just smiled with victory.

The two left toward the living room to start up a movie and Eren complained how much he hated broccoli and wondered why his parents made him eat it but he shut up the moment they got to the main movie menu. Just the beginning song had him transfixed on the screen, nearly forgetting about everything else in the room.

Levi grabbed a fluffy blanket and draped it over both of them and Eren clutched it with excitement. He was vibrating in his seat, squirming with anticipation and spouting off how his favorite part would be approaching soon. That sourness that leaked into his scent before was replaced with elation and it had Levi feeling entirely relaxed and content. All his fears were slowly dwindling and his checklist of things to do before he moved was coming to an end. They still had the rest of winter and the spring together, and then after all that he told himself he’d finally feel okay with leaving.

“Pew, pew!” Eren imitated the sounds of the laser guns as streaks of light from the funs flew toward the good guys and completely missed them. The movie starred an Omega, which was pretty unique in an action movie such as this one. It wasn’t common for Omegas to be portrayed in such a violent light. Typically, their roles were common for the romance scenes or for comedic effect. A lot of times though, secondary genders weren’t revealed or were only subtly mentioned. Apparently in this film, he could use his secondary gender as a way to slip past guards because they wouldn’t expect a ‘weak’ Omega to cause so much trouble. The bad guys were all Alphas, or at least highly suggested to be. No one thought an Omega could stand up to them, but by the end of the movie he’d destroyed their giant weapon and saved the ones he loved.

The credits rolled and Levi glanced over to see that Eren had fallen asleep on his shoulder. A little drool started to soak through his shirt and Eren clutched onto his arm like a teddy bear. Levi shifted slightly and Eren gripped a little harder as if to keep him from slipping away too much.

“Oh, he fell asleep?” Carla walked in on them at the sound of the ending credits and knelt in front of them, brushing the hair out of Eren’s face. She looked to Levi with a smile, “Did you want to sleep out here or in Eren’s room?”

Levi wondered if she really had to ask. “I can sleep with him, it’s not a big deal.”

“I know he kicks in his sleep and hogs the blankets,” she giggled softly, keeping her voice low as to not disturb her son’s slumber. “Makes it nearly impossible to get some decent rest.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize he did that,” Levi cocked his head to the side. Whenever he shared a bed with Eren, the younger wouldn’t stir at all. He’d usually just hold on to Levi’s hand all night, which wasn’t that big of a deal.

Carla helped untangle Eren from Levi’s arm and woke him up in the process. The two of them quietly brushed their teeth and washed their faces before slowly slumping into Eren’s bed. Levi’s eyes were automatically drooping shut as Eren’s potent scent surrounded him from every angle. He’d started noticing it more and more as time went on, though he couldn’t quite pinpoint the exact tones and flavors of the aroma. All he could describe it as was _Eren_.

Of course, now that they were in bed Eren seemed wide awake and chattered about the movie and its many sequels and prequels. He asked Levi about his favorite parts and characters. He yawned eventually and talked himself to sleep, sentences becoming slower and his words trailed off near the end until he was softly snoring.

Eren had taken a hold of Levi’s hand again and had his wrist shoved up near his face. For some reason, it made Levi happy even though it was a little uncomfortable. He shifted and finally found a position where he knew he’d be able to fall asleep while not moving his wrist from Eren’s face.

As easily as ever, Levi fell asleep too.

* * *

Eren stirred in the middle of the night, waking from a dreamless sleep. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and looked out the window to see that it was still dark outside. It was a relief to know that he could go back to bed for a while more. As much as he usually hated going to bed, he really didn’t mind it with Levi at his side.

He stared at Levi’s sleeping form, his face illuminated a little by the moon’s glow. After passing the temptation to wake him up, knowing Levi would just be cranky and make him go back to bed, Eren just stared. Levi didn’t drool in his sleep or even snore. He was so still, he looked dead. Was he dead? Eren reached down and put his hand over Levi’s heart, feeling the slight rhythmic pulsing. No, he wasn’t dead. Eren took a breath of relief. He wasn’t sure he’d want to share his bed with a zombie, though if it was Levi he’d consider making an exception.

“Eren?” Levi mumbled, eyes fluttering open. “What are you doing?”

“Sleeping,” Eren lied, pulling his hand back from Levi’s chest.

“No, you’re not,” Levi grumbled, “You can’t sleep with your eyes open. And you don’t talk in your sleep either.”

“Yes, I do,” Eren cheekily smiled, taking hold of Levi’s hand again and snuggling back up into the blankets.

“No, you just snore and fart in your sleep,” Levi snorted.

“No, that’s you,” Eren softly returned with a smile. “And it stinks too.”

Levi was asleep again, their conversation ending a bit too soon for Eren’s taste. He wanted to talk with Levi all night long, to joke and giggle and try to stay quiet so they didn’t wake Eren’s parents up. Perhaps they could even venture out into the snow and make another snowman or chase the falling flakes. Or perhaps they could sneak into the kitchen and eat all the sweet things his mom hid away. The possibilities were endless and he let his mind wander to all the fun games and adventures they could have in the silence of the night.

He pulled Levi’s hand back up to his face even though it was sort of sweaty. For some reason, Levi’s wrist smelled really nice and it made Eren really sleepy. The scent wrapped around him like a blanket of its own and kept Eren from having those nightmares about being taken away by a stranger. Something about it felt like home and promised that Levi wouldn’t let anyone steal him away. Levi would keep all the bad guys away with his super powers so Eren wouldn’t have to worry about it any longer. With Levi there, he could finally rest easily. One more deep breath and Eren was out like a light, snuggling further into Levi and holding on as tightly as he could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am blindingly joyful to show you guys another piece of artwork for this story. A huge thank you to [comatuna](https://comatuna.tumblr.com/) for creating it! You are so so so sweet and talented, I want to give you a million hugs. You can view it [here](https://comatuna.tumblr.com/post/165550454449/something-quick-i-drew-up-a-little-while-ago-for) \-- please check it out, it's lovely <3 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	16. Chapter 16

Eren was nervous. He had his mother wrap the gift for him, but then ended up deconstructing her work and rewrapping it himself. It didn’t look quite as good, he had to admit, but he had done it with his own two hands which seemed better. He’d wrapped the red scarf up in green wrapping paper and topped it off with a white bow. While it was supposed to be a birthday present and _not_ a holiday present, they didn’t have any colors of wrapping paper at the store so Eren went with a plain green rather than the fancier papers with more colors and patterns.

Levi didn’t like parties, apparently. It was strange because Eren _loved_ parties of all sorts. So instead of doing something big, the two families decided to join up at Levi’s house for dinner and cake. The next day would be reserved for a little celebration with all of their friends, despite Levi’s grumbling protests. According to Hange, they would celebrate Levi’s birthday even if they had to drag him kicking and screaming the entire time. After a bit of negotiation on Armin and Erwin’s part, they all decided to gather up at the park again for some more wintertime fun and perhaps some hot cocoa afterward at Eren’s house.

Eren clutched onto the gift and the paper crinkled under his anxious fingers. He wasn’t sure why he was so nervous. His parents assured him a number of times that Levi would definitely love anything Eren made for him. Still, Eren wanted Levi to _really_ like it. He readjusted his slightly too-big holiday-themed sweater that had bears with Santa hats on them, and patted down the cowlick (which promptly sprang back up) and deemed himself ready to go.

Even Eren’s parents dressed up in green and red. Carla had a sweater with deer running across it and Grisha wore the one Eren had picked out for him with the alien space ship being pulled by reindeer on it. They gathered up a few holiday gifts they’d gotten for Kuchel and Levi as well as a pie Eren and his mom made together and walked the short distance across the front lawn.

They walked right in, none of them bothering to knock anymore. The entire house smelled amazing, like pumpkin pie or maybe cranberries. The fireplace was lit and two red stockings hung from the mantel with Levi and Kuchel’s names printed on them. A fake pine tree sat in the corner with sparkling lights and ornaments strung around it. Soft holiday music played from the speakers in the living room. It was so cozy and festive that Eren’s nerves slowly melted away. Their house looked nothing like this. Sure, they put up decorations but Levi’s house looked like a real-life version of a holiday movie scene.

“Wow,” was all he could say, eyes glimmering at all the beautiful fairy lights and wrapped presents sitting under the tree.

“Gorgeous,” Carla complimented loudly enough for Kuchel to hear from the kitchen. She skipped over to help with whatever Levi’s mom was doing and Grisha helped Eren get his coat and shoes off. They hadn’t walked far, but it was still dusted in snowflakes. Eren was squirming in his spot to go find Levi. Once he was free of his winter garments, he flew right to Levi’s room without another thought with his gift held firmly in front of him. The wrapping was entirely crinkled now but Eren didn’t care, he just needed the two seconds of blunt courage to hand it over.

 “Levi!” he called out in a greeting, finding Levi standing in front of his mirror and tugging on his own holiday apparel. He had on a burgundy sweater with the quote ‘ _Merry Christmas Ya Filthy Animal’_ scrawled on it in white letters. Eren didn’t get the reference but he didn’t really care. Levi looked festive enough and his typical small smile lit Eren’s heart up with a flurry of warmth and cheer.

“Oh, hey,” Levi extended his arms out so Eren could tackle into him for a hug. Eren happily smashed into his friend and in the process, accidentally crumpled up his gift even more. “What’s this?” Levi asked, pulling away to survey the mess of gift in Eren’s clenched fist.

“Your… birthday gift… So… open it already, okay?” Eren pushed the gift into Levi’s hand and hurriedly looked anywhere but at Levi. “Happy birthday,” he added, unable to keep the smile off his face.

Levi took his time in unravelling the bow and tearing apart the wrapping paper to find the red scarf under it all. He let the wrappings fall to the floor and held the scarf carefully in his fingers, looking at it with an unchanging expression that was killing Eren. Why couldn’t he just say something already?

Much to Eren’s surprise, Levi tackled _him_ into a huge bear hug and nearly crushed Eren in the tightness of it all. “Thank you,” Levi finally said, his breath tickling Eren’s ear. “I love it. You made it?”

Eren staggered back and nodded firmly, “My mom helped too.”

It wasn’t perfect by any means. There were gaps you could fit your fingers in and the frayed strings at the end tangled together. It wasn’t even that long, just enough to get a few wraps around Levi’s neck.

Levi put it on carefully and nuzzled his face into it for just a second before hugging Eren again in thanks. “I got you a gift too.”

“It doesn’t really feel like your birthday if you give me a gift too,” Eren mumbled.

“Well, the first one isn’t really something you can use right away if that makes you feel better…” Levi led him out to the living room so they could sit by the tree. Eren gazed at the twinkling lights and hardly noticed when Levi plopped a box on his lap and slid one next to his leg. The one in his lap was for now and the other one had a note on top that said, ‘ _Don’t open until June 1 st’. _

“I can’t open until June?” Eren whined already, wanting to know what was in the box.

“You’ve got to keep it safe until then,” Levi warned. “If you open it before then, I’ll know it. Better give it to your parents to keep it in a good place, okay?”

If it were anyone else, Eren would have torn it all apart already to figure out what was inside. But, it was Levi so it was different. He nodded with disappointment and shoved the package a little farther away to help him resist the temptation. His eyes flew to the package in his lap wrapped in candy cane striped paper and topped with a green bow. It was wrapped beautifully, much better than Eren could ever do. He briefly wondered if Levi or his mom did it, but the fact didn’t matter as he pulled it all apart. He hadn’t expected it at all, but he ended up with three of Levi’s sweatshirts in his lap, the ones his mom forced him to return not too long ago. They smelled just like him and Eren found himself oddly happy to have them back in his possession. They were all of his favorites too, one had bears on it and the other was striped with green and blue. The last had the words ‘Stohess Elementary’ on them and Eren vaguely remembered that was the school Levi used to go to. It was a strange gift and unique as well, Eren was beyond happy to get them back in their unwashed glory.

He leaned over and hugged onto Levi tightly in gratitude, eyeing the box they’d put aside. Apparently, he’d have to really wait for his real present and he hoped he’d have the resolve to do so as the days went on. He set the sweatshirts back into the box for fear his parents would make him return them again and the two of them settled on watching some holiday cartoons while waiting for the adults to finish making dinner. The entire kitchen smelled amazing and got Eren’s stomach rumbling with anticipation.

Until then, he didn’t mind sitting under a blanket with Levi while they watched an Alpha and Omega superhero team save Santa from Godzilla. Eren rooted for Godzilla the entire time, making Levi laugh. According to Eren, Godzilla was just feeling a little sad because no one got him a holiday gift and took his anger out on destroying the city. While that wasn’t exactly how it worked out, there was a dance number after the credits featuring a tango between Santa and Godzilla which was good enough for Eren.

“He’s probably just cold, maybe I should knit him a scarf too,” Eren defended Godzilla’s tyrant rage.

“You’ll need a lot of yarn,” Levi warned him, laughing at how big the scarf would have to be.

“I don’t care. Godzilla would appreciate it.”

They were called to the table for dinner and both of them scurried to eat. It was a little later for dinner than usual but the wait was worth it. A giant feast of turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberries, duck, and roasted vegetables sat on the table. They all gave their thanks and began to dig in, ravenous from the wait. The food tasted just as delicious as it looked and Eren didn’t even have the urge to speak all through dinner like he usually did because he was too busy stuffing his face.

“This is _amazing_ ,” Grisha broke the silence after clearing his plate and going in for more.

“I’m surprised you’re going to be a nurse and not a chef,” Carla laughed, “This really is wonderful, Kuchel.”

“Ah, we make this every year for Levi’s birthday and the holidays. I’ve gotten my fair share of practice,” Kuchel replied with a warm smile, “But thank you. I’m so happy you’re enjoying it.”

“So good,” Eren spoke with his mouthful, giving Levi’s mom a cheeky smile. It made her laugh and Carla was already wiping Eren’s face off with a napkin.

After dinner came cake and Eren was almost too full to refuse. But, of course, he’d never refuse cake. Especially Levi’s birthday cake. And after he’d blown out the candles and made his wish, Eren was more than ready to devour the dessert.

Levi helped his mom serve some tea and he made sure to make Eren’s extra sweet. Eren couldn’t gulp down tea like Levi could and preferred it to taste more like sugar water than actual tea. The warm drink did pair nicely with the cake, though, and Eren’s stomach was purring happily by the end of it all. He ate so much, he got sleepy even. Still, he had enough energy to help Levi beg for permission to play outside in the snow for just a little bit. Between his pleading stare and Levi’s firmness, they were able to romp around in the snow under the moonlight.

One of the best things about the heaps of snow covering the ground was that Eren could catapult himself into the air and land into the piles, cushioned by both his snow gear and the snow itself. That meant he could happily wrestle with Levi without the repercussions of getting thrown around a little. Still, he knew Levi was taking it easy on him but Eren didn’t spare any energy in trying to take his friend down. He could never quite accomplish a real, true tackle on him and always hoped to. His real goal was to see Levi’s surprised expression.

“Hi-yah!” Eren cried, jumping onto Levi’s back in a clumsy piggyback. He held onto his shoulders tightly and weighed him down, attempting to throw him off balance. Levi was too strong and just ended up shaking Eren off lightly, causing him to topple into a pile of snow. “Hey!” Eren whined at his thwarted attempt, leaping onto Levi once more. “I’ve got you now!”

Levi just bent forward to send Eren falling off once more. It was all so casual and gentle, it got Eren even more fired up. While he was trying so hard, Levi was simply shrugging him off as if he were nothing. It seemed that way with most things. Levi was honestly just good at everything while Eren always seemed to struggle.

 _At least one tackle,_ Eren promised himself. _Just one._

“I thought your mom said we couldn’t fight anymore,” Levi reminded him with a smirk.

“She’s not here,” Eren cheered, lunging at him again from the front which just ended up being a fairly aggressive hug.

“You’ll hurt yourself,” Levi warned with a sing-song voice, conveying that Eren’s attacks weren’t even putting him out of breath.

“That’s fine,” Eren grunted, still pushing on Levi who didn’t even stagger back. “If I’m going down, you’re going down with me.”

“Probably,” Levi laughed, though Eren wasn’t quite sure what he meant. He seemed to have some kind of ironic tone but Eren didn’t waste time thinking too much about it. Levi tended to make a lot of weird jokes Eren didn’t understand.

“Yah!” Eren tried one last time before missing completely and diving headfirst onto the ground. “Ouch,” he immediately groaned, rubbing at his forehead. A little splatter of blood dotted the white snow. Eren pulled away and stifled his tears. It didn’t hurt that much, it was only blood, right? Still, little waves of sobs had his stomach and heart clenching up. His jaw clenched shut and he refused to let a single tear drop over a little scrape.

“Eren!” Levi was rushing to his side like always, kneeling down with him and assessing his face. He took a sigh of relief, “It’s just a little scrape. Did you hit your head hard?”

“No,” Eren confirmed, “Just scratched it a little. It’s no big deal,” he managed to get out.

“It is a big deal. You got hurt. I should have done a better job at not letting you fall,” Levi frowned. He pulled Eren to sit in his lap and Levi dug his sweater sleeve out of his coat and held it over Eren’s wound to stop the bleeding and to clean up the blood on his face.

With Levi’s wrist so close to his face, Eren found it difficult to want to cry any more. His fears subsided and he was left with the comfort that he wasn’t alone. Levi was there to help him and he’d always come running to the rescue.

“I’m surprised you aren’t crying, I bet that fall was scary,” Levi mumbled.

Eren just shrugged, “I don’t have to cry because you’re here.”

The two of them sat a little longer in the snow before they both laid back to look up at the sky. It was blanketed in winter clouds so they couldn’t see the stars or even the moon. The pure darkness was almost daunting but somehow pretty in its own way. Eren usually found cloudy days to be quite boring and even a little sad, but for some reason it wasn’t like that. The darkness made it a little easier to see the snowflakes reflecting off the street lights, which was quite a pretty sight. He wondered if that had any deeper meaning, probably not. It didn’t matter anyway because he was happy to be flopped over his friend in the snow.

“Did you have a good birthday?” he asked Levi, honestly curious.

“I had the best birthday ever,” he returned with a smile.

“Really?” Eren rolled over so he could look at Levi’s face.

“Really,” Levi smiled, pulling the scarf Eren made him up a little higher.

“What did you wish for?” Eren pried.

“If I tell you, it won’t come true.”

“But if you tell me, _both_ of us could wish for it. Then it has _twice_ the chance of coming true,” Eren smirked, his logic completely solid.

“But if I tell you, it won’t come true at all, even if we’re both wishing for it,” Levi countered.

“ _Levi,_ ” Eren begged. “ _Tell me.”_

“I wished you’d stop asking me what I wished for,” Levi shot back with a snarky grin.

Eren just head butted him and rubbed his head against Levi’s arm, repeating his name again and again until Levi would finally break. “Levi, Levi, Levi…”

“I’m not telling,” Levi gave his forehead a flick.

“Levi, Levi, Levi, Levi…”

“Eren, stop it.”

“Levi, Levi, Levi, Levi, Levi…”

“Eren, that’s getting really annoying.”

“Levi, Levi, Levi, Levi, Levi, Levi…”

“Fine,” Levi cracked, sighing. Eren stopped his chanting and leaned in close to listen. “I wished we’d stay best friends forever.”

Both of them were silent for a moment as the words soaked in. Eren’s knee-jerk reaction caused him to burst out laughing.

“What is it?” Levi asked, completely confused.

“That’s a stupid wish,” Eren giggled.

“What?” Levi sat up and squinted at Eren. “Why’s it stupid?”

“We’re going to be best friends no matter what. Wish or no wish.” Eren sat up too, still giggling like mad. “You didn’t have to wish for that. It’s going to happen anyway. Geez, Levi, you better plan better. You just wasted a wish.”

It was a silly thing to wish for. Why would they ever stop being best friends? Would the day ever come when Eren wouldn’t want to spend his time with Levi? Would Levi ever stop coming to his rescue? Would he stop making Eren smile? No. None of those things would happen.

Eren bumped Levi on the shoulder and pulled him into a hug. “You’re stupid sometimes, Levi. But I’ll still keep you, I guess.” It was something Levi had said to him before that made his heart flutter a little. He hoped it’d have the same effect on his friend. By the look on Levi’s face and the way he hugged back, Eren was sure it did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another relatively quick update, you have all been keeping me so motivated and inspired- I thank you <3
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)
> 
>  
> 
> View artwork: [here](http://stringlish.tumblr.com/post/165468289655/okay-so-i-draw-stuff-or-doodle-really-rarely%0A) & [here](http://snakemittens.tumblr.com/post/164738155697/i-commissioned-one-of-my-favorite-artists) & [here](https://comatuna.tumblr.com/post/165550454449/something-quick-i-drew-up-a-little-while-ago-for)


	17. Chapter 17

The worst thing about winter was how short the days were. Weeks flew by at light speed and Eren couldn’t stand how dark it was all the time. He went to school when it was dark outside and by the time dinner was over, it was pitch black outside again. January and February flew by faster than he could fathom and eventually the snow started to thaw and the days got a little longer. At least he and Levi could play outside longer when the daylight lasted more than a few hours every day.

Hannes took them to the park down the block to accompany the two boys. He pouted when Eren firmly told him that he had to go sit on the bench because it was _his turn_ to play with Levi.

“I hate school,” Eren complained, hanging on to the monkey bars while Levi held onto his feet for better stability. “Let’s quit.”

“What would we do instead?” Levi asked him, keeping a firm grasp on Eren’s ankles as he stood underneath him. “You better hang on or you’ll fall. Isn’t that bar cold?”

“It’s not cold, now let me go,” Eren protested. It _was_ cold but he definitely wanted to make it all the way across the bars without having to let go. He’d never done it by himself before and wanted to give it a try. “And we could just play all day.”

“I don’t think our parents would let us to that,” Levi sighed, letting go and walking a step forward when Eren swung himself over to the next bar.

“Hm… we’ll have to run away then.”

“Where to?”

“I don’t know. We could live here I guess. There’s enough room in the tunnel slide for the both of us.”

“Eren!” a female’s voice called out. The noise caused Eren to drop from the bar and fall to his butt. He groaned and rubbed the sore spot. Levi was already offering a hand up and he gladly took it.

Historia came running up to him, holding another little girl’s hand. She smiled brightly and waved, “Eren!”

“Oh, hi, Historia!” Eren waved back.

“I’m back! And I brought Ymir!” she announced, introducing the girl next to her. She had a huge burgundy coat on with a fluffy hood. Historia reached up to pull the hood off, revealing a dark-skinned girl with a very serious expression. Historia went on to introduce Eren to her friend and Ymir just nodded in response.

“This is Levi,” Eren happily announced. “He’s my best friend.”

Levi was squinting at Historia and didn’t even say hi. Eren scowled at him and gave him a nudge on the arm. Sometimes Levi needed a little time to remember how to be friendly and Eren hoped he’d come around soon. “He’s shy,” Eren explained.

Historia was looking at Levi funny too but smiled anyway. “Nice to meet you.”

“What are you doing here again?” Eren asked.

“My dad brought me this time. He’s just finishing a phone call in the car. I was hoping you’d be here today! I told him I _really_ wanted to play with you again so Ymir could meet you too.”

“Y-your dad?” Levi finally said.

She nodded, “Yeah, he doesn’t take me places very often. I was really happy when he agreed to come here today!”

After a quick planning session between Historia and Eren, they fell into a game of tag. It was fun running around in the mud, trouncing in puddles and splashing mud across the park. He crunched through leftover piles of snow while Histoira chased after him, eventually giving him a playful smack on the arm and yelling, “Tag! You’re _it_!”

It was Eren’s turn to chase and he went for an easy target. Levi seemed really spaced out since Historia showed up with her friend. Was he upset their time together was intruded upon? Did he not like Historia’s friend? Whatever had gotten into him needed to stop. He wasn’t even running away, he was just standing a few meters away from Hannes with a weird look on his face. “Levi!” Eren warned, closing in on his target. “You’re _it_!” He tagged Levi on the shoulder and skidded to a halt with a huge smile on his face.

But Levi didn’t move. He was looking at the ground and biting his lip. “Levi?” Eren approached him again, poking him on the arm. “You’re _it_ ,” he sang teasingly, goading him on.

“Uh, Eren…” Levi took a few steps back toward Hannes, “I think I hurt my foot. I’m going to sit down for a bit. But, um… I’ll still watch! Just don’t go too far so I can’t see you.”

Eren cocked his head to the side and sighed, “Okay, I guess I’m still _it_ then.” It wasn’t like Levi to back out of a game or act that way at all. Eren wanted to be concerned but Historia and Ymir were giggling at him from behind a tree and he just _had_ to tag one of them so he wouldn’t be _it_ anymore. Once the game was over, he’d be sure to ask Levi if he was okay.

He caught up to Ymir and tapped her shoulder, giggling as he spun on his heel and ran the other way. She chased after Historia, easily catching up and tagging her. Then, Historia would run after Eren and the cycle would continue.

“Historia, honey, it’s time to go,” Historia’s dad came out of nowhere and Eren recognized the face. “You’re getting all muddy out here.”

“Rod?” he asked, cocking his head to the side. Eren hadn’t seen him in forever and never really thought to ask much about it. The guy sort of creeped him out and Levi didn’t like him one bit, which meant that Eren didn’t like him either. But since he was Historia’s dad…

Rod smiled down at him and leaned forward to ruffle Eren’s hair, “Hey there, Eren. Haven’t seen you around much, buddy.”

“Ditto,” Eren glared at him, taking a cautionary step back.

“Oh, shoot, you’ve got a bit of dirt on your face. Here, let me…” Rod leaned in to wipe away some dirt from Eren’s cheek and neck, scrubbing his thumb against the spot.

Eren took another step back. He nervously picked at his fingernails and shied away. “That’s okay. I like dirt.”

“You might, but I bet your parents won’t be happy to see you covered in mud…” Rod pulled away and took Historia’s hand. Historia took Ymir’s hand and the chain started walking towards the car.

“Eren,” Hannes approached him with a hand stretched outward to take his arm. Historia let him and was pulled behind Hannes’ legs where Levi was.

Eren was really worried now. Levi’s eyes were red and his face was blotchy. He was gripping onto Hannes’ pant leg with one hand and the other was in a shaking, balled up fist at his side. His jaw was clenched up and he didn’t say anything. Instead, he just took Eren’s hand and held it tightly.

“Rod Reiss, I presume?” Hannes asked.

“Yes, and you are?” Rod dropped his attention from Eren and moved it to the blond Alpha.

“Officer Hannes Fujiwara. Seems to me you’ve caused the Ackerman family a bit of trouble lately.”

“Seems the Ackerman family has caused _me_ a bit of trouble lately,” Rod shot back with a seemingly casual tone. “But it’s fine. I’ve let it go. I’ve been spending more time with Miss Historia now, so you don’t have to worry about me, _Officer_.”

A weird growl came out from Hannes’ throat and he just slowly shook his head. “I’d recommend you stay far from this neighborhood, Mr. Reiss.”

“It says _public_ park right there,” he gestured toward the worn wooden sign. “So, _Officer_ , I’d say I’m well within my jurisdiction to be here.”

Hannes acted like a completely different person and snarled, “You’ll stay away from this area. You won’t touch Kuchel. And you won’t touch my kids.”

“Your kids?”

“They might as well be. Now go. Your daughter is shivering.” Hannes grabbed Levi and Eren’s hands to pull them away.

Eren looked back to see that Historia _was_ shivering but not from the early springtime chill. She looked terrified and Ymir was petting her hair with concern. Eren wasn’t surprised to see her terrified, Hannes and Rod were acting pretty scary. He really didn’t think much of it. His attention was focused on Levi’s weird behavior.

Hannes brought them all the way home without another word. Levi didn’t say anything at all and avoided eye contact with Eren. Eren was too afraid to say anything either, he really just wanted to figure out what was wrong with Levi.

They stopped when they got to Levi’s front yard and Hannes fell to his knees before them. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?” Hannes asked Eren in a very serious voice that was very unlike him.

Eren shook his head no. Rod was more annoying than anything. He’d been having fun with Historia and Ymir and he came in and ruined it all saying they had to leave.

“Feeling better?” Hannes turned to Levi. His voice became quite gentle and reminiscent of the Hannes Eren was used to. He petted Levi’s hair and brought him in for a hug. “He can’t touch you here.”

“I’m fine,” Levi’s voice was small and muffled by Hannes.

“You two come inside while I talk to Levi’s mom, then,” he ushered them into Levi’s house.

It was a brilliant change from the dreary outside weather. Eren always felt at home in Levi’s house. It always smelled nice and there was even a fire going in the living room. He shed his coat and boots carefully before running up to put his hands by it, feeling the toasty warmth sucking all the chill from his skin. Levi was right next to him in a heartbeat, doing the same.  

Both of them sat in front of the fire and Eren tugged over a blanket for them to huddle under. Neither of them had the courage to speak and that was okay. Eren was rather cold and when he felt Levi, he was too. It was better to sit and warm up than to chat anyway.

The fire crackled and Eren waited and watched for sparks to fly whenever a piece of the wood burnt off and fell into the ashes below. His eyes wandered around Levi’s living room, as it had recently been rearranged as Kuchel did every once and a while. The white sofa cleared the window and faced the fireplace. Someone had hung up their television above the mantel which, in Eren’s opinion, looked pretty neat. A few house plants were stacked up in front of the window, blocking the view. Perhaps they just needed to make room so the plants could get more sun. All the pictures on the walls were the same and Eren smiled when he saw the ones of Levi as a baby, reminding him that his friend wasn’t always so tough.

Eren leaned his head onto Levi’s shoulder and the strangest thing happened. Levi flinched away. A flash of hurt crossed Eren’s heart. Why did he jump away? He’d never done that before. Had Eren doing something seriously wrong? Was Levi upset with him? All the options splayed out at the forefront of his brain and left his stomach feeling empty and jittery.

“L-Levi…” Eren stared at him, astonished. He didn’t like to cry in front of Levi but it was hard to keep the tears from spilling out. He searched Levi’s face for an inkling of jest or teasing, only seeing a stony expression meet his gaze.

That was it. Eren felt so uncomfortable and positive that he’d done something wrong. As much as he didn’t want to leave, he didn’t want to disappoint his friend any longer. “I… I’m going home,” he announced quietly.

The moment he said the words, Levi’s hand whipped out and grabbed him by the wrist. It was almost painful and the swiftness of the movement made Eren gasp. When he looked back up at his friend, Levi wasn’t glaring anymore. He looked like he wanted to say something. His eyes softened and he bit his lip like he did when he was nervous.

“Could you… stay?” Levi asked. Eren could barely hear the words over the crackling fire.

Eren settled back in his place, eager to stay put. He really didn’t want to go in the first place. This time, he kept a few inches of space between himself and Levi though, just in case. The last thing he wanted was for Levi to flinch away again.

“Uh, Eren…” Levi continued, “You smell… sort of weird… Can I…?”

“I smell weird?” Eren lifted up his arm to sniff at his arm pit, not smelling a thing at all. “Really?”

“Yeah, can I fix it?” Levi finally spit it out.

“Geez, if that’s all you wanted you should have asked in the first place. Do you want me to wash my hands or something?” Eren stared at him dumbfounded. Levi would sometimes call him smelly but wouldn’t try to _do_ anything about it.

“No, I, um…” Levi got all nervous again and started rubbing his wrists together. He leaned his hand back to expose the purple veins stretching up his forearm and started rubbing at Eren’s neck with his wrist.

“What are you doing?” Eren asked. He wasn’t complaining, whatever it was sort of felt nice. He leaned his head to the side so Levi wasn’t at such an awkward angle and resumed staring at the fire while Levi did whatever he was doing. It seemed to help him calm down and when it was over, he pulled the blanket a little tighter around them.

“Sorry,” Levi sighed. “It just makes me feel better for some reason. You… smelled like Rod.”

“ _Oh_ ,” Eren realized. Levi had always had a sensitive nose and Rod was a stinky guy. He was probably just rubbing away whatever Rod got on him that smelled bad, that was all. “Say something next time,” he scolded. “I thought you didn’t like me anymore.”

Levi snorted and shook his head, “I’d never not like you anymore.”

They were quiet for a second before Eren frowned, “Do you not like Historia or Ymir?”

“I don’t like Rod. And he’s Historia’s dad,” Levi’s eyes were cast down to the carpet. “So, I guess I don’t like Historia either.”

“But you don’t know her,” Eren leaned further into Levi, putting his weight on his friend’s side. “She’s _really_ nice and _really_ fun.”

“Maybe you should go be _her_ best friend, then,” Levi mumbled.

Eren moaned with annoyance and rubbed his forehead on Levi’s shoulder, “I can’t do that, I already got a best friend… but you could at least be nice to her.”

Levi shook his head and did what he always did when they argued. “You’ll understand it when you’re bigger.”

Eren huffed at the cop-out and fell even further down to rest his head in Levi’s lap. “I’m tired,” he announced. “Wake me up when you’re being less stupid.”

Levi just flicked his nose and smirked, slowly getting back to his real self again. It made Eren happy enough to doze off peacefully.

* * *

Eren was sprawled out on the floor with his head resting on Levi’s thigh. Levi’s leg was starting to fall asleep but he wouldn’t move for fear to wake his friend. He didn’t know if he could stand to be far away from Eren at all for the rest of the day either.

The cozy atmosphere was soothing his frenzied nerves. When Rod came out from the shadows, Levi felt frozen. Before he probably would have told him to stop or for Eren to run away, but he couldn’t find it in his nerves to do anything other than grip onto Hannes. Luckily, Hannes saw Rod too and hurried over to interject, saving the day when Levi couldn’t.

Levi petted Eren’s hair, rubbing his wrist all over his friend’s face and neck in the process. Eren still smelled foul and wrong, but it was a little better now that Levi had covered up Rod’s scent with his own. He guessed Eren wouldn’t really smell like Eren again until he took a bath to wash away all the excess oils on his skin. When he’d flinched away from Eren, he felt horrible after. It was hard to stay so close when the only thing Levi could think of was _Rod_ as he scented Eren. At least now it was bearable.

 A feeling of dread passed through his stomach again when he caught a glimpse of Rod’s stupid car driving slowly down their street. His mom set up a bunch of plants in front of the window the block the view, but Levi could still see that shining silver through the leaves. Part of him wanted to run out and maul the guy while the other part wanted to take Eren and hide under the bed for a few years.

“I’m issuing a restraining order. I’ll let you know when I get the paperwork passed through and bring you over a copy to sign,” Hannes started to leave and Kuchel left the kitchen to follow him out.

They stopped by Eren and Levi before going and Hannes asked, “Doing okay?”

“Yeah,” Levi answered honestly. He was shaken and a little anxious but he’d be okay.

“Good. I’m going to make sure he never sets foot anywhere near you again. That’s a promise,” Hannes grinned like a superhero as he gave Levi’s mom and nod and left.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Kuchel knelt by the pair and pulled her son into a half-hug while doing her best not to wake Eren.

“I’m okay,” he assured, looking down at Eren. As long as the two were together, how could he not be?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting this before I head to work-- I wanted to get it out here for you guys as soon as I could! <3 I promise I'll be replying to your sweet sweet messages from the previous chapter once I get home! As always, thank you all so much for your kindness and for reading. I am eternally grateful <3 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	18. Chapter 18

“He _scent marked_ him?” Grisha gaped as Hannes delivered the news. He’d just put Eren to bed and joined Carla and Hannes at the dinner table. Hannes told them about the park incident and they were both staring at him with wide eyes at the pure audacity of the situation.

“He tried to make it seem casual by cleaning off Eren’s face but his wrists were rubbing up against Eren’s neck so much…” Hannes let out a low growl at the memory as if it’d change it. “That was enough to get the restraining order in place. He won’t be allowed anywhere near this neighborhood any longer. Please call me if you see him. As much as I’d like him to stay away, it wouldn’t bother me so much if he showed up. Just once and we could press even stricter charges…”

“I didn’t notice when he came home. He just smelled like Levi as always…” Carla worried her bottom lip, just as disturbed by the situation as they all were.

“We think it really shook him up and tried to cover up Rod’s scent with his own,” Hannes explained. “Luckily, he didn’t bolt out to hit Rod or anything, which I’m sure is what Rod was trying to do. If Levi had assaulted him at all, he’d most likely press charges.”

“But he didn’t?” Carla leaned forward, curious. “He’s never had a problem standing up to Rod before. I know he even used his word binding on him when things were really bad.”

“He just stuck behind me,” Hannes shrugged.

“He must trust you,” Grisha smiled. “That’s rare for Levi. He typically doesn’t trust Alphas.” It made sense as the boy had been through so many terrible experiences with Alphas. While Levi latched onto Eren rather quickly, it took him a while to trust Grisha. For weeks, he’d have his guard up and a slightly aggressive scent whenever Grisha was around.

“The kid needs _someone_ he can honestly trust. I can’t imagine growing up in that household where he couldn’t even trust his own…” Hannes stopped himself, probably avoiding the word ‘father figure’ in reference to Rod Reiss. “Growing up not knowing if you’re safe or not would be…” Hannes just shook his head. Both he and Grisha had seen the horrors of domestic violence at the police station and the hospital. In a world where instincts ran high, it was almost inevitable and much too frequent. “And Kuchel could only do so much by herself.”

“Rod lives in the city, doesn’t he?” Grisha asked Hannes, assuming he’d know.

Hannes nodded, “He does. He works there and one of his ex-mates lives around here. He’s been visiting his daughter an awful lot and staying at a hotel nearby. I’m sure by tomorrow the restraining order will chase him back to the city.”

“Are you going to check on them when you relocate?” Carla wondered with concern.

“I plan on it, if she’ll let me.”

“Do you _like_ her?” Carla wiggled her eyebrows, asking like a junior high schooler would. Her innocence always managed to charm Grisha no matter how old they got.

Hannes blushed and turned away, “That’s irrelevant.”

Grisha snorted and Carla burst out laughing loud enough to wake Eren. Thankfully, they didn’t hear the pitter patter of his feet running down the hallway to see what kind of commotion he was missing out on. After Hannes walked him home from Kuchel’s he claimed he was too tired to even take a bath and swore he’d take one in the morning. The poor kid was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

“We’ve both been hurt before,” Hannes absentmindedly tapped on his fading mating mark. “I don’t know if either of us are ready to hop into something new yet. Especially her. With this situation and Levi and moving… she’s got enough on her plate for the time being.”

“Those boys are going to be devastated…” Carla buried her face in her hands as they talked about the upcoming move. “I don’t know how we’re even going to handle it.”

“They’re young. They’ll get over it,” Grisha shrugged. All they could do was be supportive and offer comfort when they needed it. “Nothing a few phone calls and visits can’t fix. They’ll be okay.”

“I hope so…” Carla sulked. “They’re so close.”

“It’s for the best,” Hannes pursed his lips. “Maybe, eventually, they’ll be together again.”

* * *

Levi and Eren spent the entire day in the backyard, kicking around at the brown grass and moping around at the fact that Levi was officially moving the next morning. Eren refused to set foot in Levi’s empty house filled with boxes and bags. It didn’t feel like Levi’s house anymore, he kept saying. Instead, Levi’s mom said he could stay at Eren’s house that night.

There were so many promises. His mom promised they’d visit. There were phone calls and video chats and snail mail. Eren could visit and Levi could show him all the sights in the city. But still, it just wouldn’t be the same.

They sat with their backs against the tree in the middle of their yards. Levi brought out a stack of their books, but didn’t feel like reading Eren didn’t feel like listening either. Both of them were quiet, letting the terrible minutes pass by.

Birds were singing their happy springtime songs and Levi looked up to see that the tree was sprouting new leaves. He wondered how long it would take until the branches were lush with chattering leaves again, but hated how he wouldn’t be able to watch them grow day by day.

Eren kept a tight hold on Levi’s hand and Levi was just fine with it. Their fingers were shivering, though they weren’t cold. They avoided eye contact and looked at anything other than each other. Eren tore strands of grass from the dirt one by one and Levi had his eyes toward the sky.

Finally, Eren broke the silence. “I don’t want you to go. You can’t go.” It was the statement that couldn’t just go unsaid.

“I don’t want to go either,” Levi rested his head on Eren’s shoulder. His heart was breaking bit by bit. He wished he could just be numb to it all. He wished it didn’t have to happen in the first place. Instead, every second seemed to hurt even worse than the last. It was like they were hopelessly waiting for the end of the world, counting down the seconds until it all blew up in a fiery end.

“Who… who’s going to read to me? Who’s going to play with me after school?” Eren’s voice trembled and a few tears streaked down his cheek. He pulled away from Levi so he could look him in the face, which only hurt Levi more. Eren’s tear-stained face had Levi feeling like a failure for some reason and his scent was making his heart sink. “Who’s going to tell me goodnight through the window? Who’s… Who’s…?” Eren let out the sob he’d been holding in. “Who’s going to rescue me? Who’s going to be my best friend?”

“Eren,” Levi put his hands on Eren’s shoulders to hold him upright. He needed Eren to look him in the eye and convey his sincerity. “We will _always_ be best friends. Nothing will change that. _Ever._ ”

Eren squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head, his voice came out in a husky shriek, “ _No!_ You’re _leaving_ me all _alone_!”

“It’s not my choice!” Levi yelled back, just trying to match Eren’s tone. He finally let out his frustrations with the move and scooted back from Eren. “I don’t _want_ to go either! Can’t you see that? It’s not my fault!”

“Then just stay!” Eren stood and balled up his shaking fists. “Don’t go!”

Levi stood as well to meet Eren’s eye line and threw his hands up in exasperation, “I _can’t_ it doesn’t work that way! Do you think I _even want to go_? No! I’ve told you so many times!”

Eren quivered at Levi’s tone and raised his fists as if he were going to fight. “If you didn’t want to go, you wouldn’t! You always save the day! Why can’t you do it now?” he shouted. “So, if you want to leave so bad, just _go_!”

“I _don’t want to_!” Levi threw his hands up in the air with exasperation. Couldn’t Eren see that this wasn’t his fault? Why did he think Levi wanted to abandon him?

Eren growled inhumanly and reached out to push Levi to the ground, using all his strength to topple his friend over. Levi fell to the ground easily. After all the time Eren spent trying to get the better of Levi, he did it without even realizing it.

“You’re _not_ my best friend anymore, Levi! You’re _nothing_ to me now!” Eren snarled, glaring down with fresh tears dripping off his jawline. He stomped away back towards his house, slamming the doors as he barricaded himself inside. His screaming could be heard from inside and Levi let go of everything he’d bottled up and started sobbing too.

He picked himself up from the ground and stumbled his way back into his house too. His mom was putting away the last of the dishes into a cardboard box, wrapping them up in old t-shirts to keep them safe. The moment she saw Levi’s face, she knew and dropped the plate onto the kitchen floor causing it to shatter into shards.

She ran to him, minding the broken porcelain on the floor, and gathered him up into her arms. He let loose another sob and couldn’t quite catch his breath after. The short breaths kept getting cut short by new sobs and his lungs started to feel smaller and smaller. His nose wrinkled at his own scent of sorrow and it felt even more suffocating.

“Levi, honey, it’s okay to cry. You don’t have to hold it in. I’m here for you,” the string of comforting words came flowing out but Levi wasn’t paying much attention to them. Her scent wrapped around him like a warm red scarf and helped him stop hyperventilating. “I’m so sorry, Levi, I’m sorry,” her breath hitched and he realized she was crying too. “I need to give you something better, honey. I need to be better for you. This is how we’ve got to do it. We’ll do it together.”

He couldn’t help the blame he put on his own mother. He couldn’t help feeling she ruined his friendship with Eren. As much as he wanted to push her away, though, he only held her closer. The last thing he wanted was to feel alone.

“Tell me what happened,” his mother urged softly, keeping them locked together in the embrace.

“Eren…” Levi sucked in a breath through his teeth and shook his head. “Said we’re not friends anymore.”

“Oh, Levi…” His mom ran her fingers through Levi’s hair and cradled his head, holding it firmly against her. “You’re still friends, even if he’s upset right now. It’ll be fine. I know it will be.”

Levi shook his head against her and sniffled, “No. I don’t think it is. I don’t think it’ll ever be fine.”

“He’s just overwhelmed is all. Once he realizes that you two aren’t so far apart, it’ll be okay. You can visit on the weekends, you know. You can talk on the phone…”

It wouldn’t be enough and Levi knew it. Eren would resent him for the rest of their lives and Levi knew better than to believe otherwise. Things wouldn’t be okay again and the faster he could come to terms with it, he hoped the faster his heart wouldn’t hurt so much.

“I’m going to bed,” he pushed away from his mother to head to his nearly empty bedroom. All that was left was the bed and his blankets. He didn’t think he’d be spending another night in it, he thought he’d be able to spend the rest of the day with Eren.

“Levi, it’s not even dinnertime yet…” his mother protested but didn’t try too hard to stop him. She knew there wasn’t much left to do other than to give her son space.

When Levi got to his bedroom, he glanced out his window as he always did to see Eren sitting on his bed sobbing into a pile of sweatshirts Levi had given him. The moment Levi caught his eye, he threw on a mean face and tossed the clothes across the room. Eren dragged out his whiteboard and wrote in bold, angry, capital letters. _I HATE YOU._ He seethed in front of the window, waiting for some kind of reply.

Levi got out his whiteboard too and tried to think of what he really wanted to say. A number of things crossed his mind.

_I’m sorry. I don’t want to go. Just let me come over._

The tip of the marker hesitated on the board as more options ran through his mind.

_I hate me too. Rescue me this time, Eren. I’m going to miss you._

He wanted to write out the truth but there wasn’t enough room on that little board.

_Tell me it’s going to be okay. Tell me you’ll miss me too. Please don’t hate me for this._

But he couldn’t do it. Instead, he just wrote one word. _Goodbye._

* * *

The moment Levi’s curtains closed, Eren broke down into a new round of screeching tears. He’d screamed at his parents to make Levi stay, but they weren’t any help. When they couldn’t do anything, he ran into his room and started throwing anything he could find in hopes that the impact would change the world around him and make it so Levi would have to stay. All the time they’d waited for that moment, Eren figured something would have happened to turn the tables. He believed the universe wouldn’t be so cruel. Apparently, he was a fool for doing so.

“Stupid, stupid, stupid,” he hissed, punching at his mattress and shouting incoherent curses into his pillow.

“Eren,” his mother came into the room with two steaming mugs. She sat down on the end of the bed where Eren wasn’t beating it to death and set the mugs on his little desk. “I brought you some cocoa.”

“Don’t want it,” Eren muttered in between punches.

“It’ll make you feel better,” she kept her tones quiet and gentle, ignoring the fact that he was throwing a violent tantrum against his blankets.

“No, it won’t,” he stubbornly replied, wearing himself out from thrashing. He took to burying his face into the pillow so she wouldn’t see him crying.

“It will,” she insisted. “It’ll help to talk about it too.”

“I don’t _want_ to talk about it,” he burst. “I just want Levi to stay. He can sleep in my bed. He won’t take up too much room!”

“He’s got to be with his mom otherwise she’ll miss him.”

“But I’m going to miss him _more_!”

“You can still see each other, Eren.”

“It won’t be the same! He’ll go off and be with his friends in the city. He’ll play with them after school instead of me. And then he’ll… he’ll _forget about me_!” Eren wailed, throwing his face back into his pillow. He’d finally said it aloud and his fears were slowly becoming a reality.

His mother grabbed him and gathered him up in her arms. She was warm and smelled like she always did, which was strangely comforting in the time of panic and fear. “Eren, Levi would _never_ forget about you. Do you hear me? Never.” Her tone was strict and honest, which got Eren to stop shrieking into the pillow. Instead, he listened closely.

“Levi cares about you more than anyone else in this whole world. I know it. This is just something they have to do and we need to be supportive. I know it’s really sad, I’m sad too. Levi’s mom is my best friend, you know.”

“She is?” Eren looked up to his mother. He didn’t realize their moms were best friends too.

“We’ve known each other since we were your age. Just like you and Levi. And guess what? We haven’t lived in the same place for years and we’re still best friends. She’s moving away again, but I’m not sad. I know that we will always love each other, no matter what.”

“You love her?” Eren cocked his head to the side. His parents loved each other and they loved Eren too. But his mom loved Levi’s mom?

“Of course. I’d do anything for her. She’s someone who always makes me happy and we care about each other deeply. Because of that, I love her.”

Eren’s tears stopped flowing and he wiped the stray ones away with his blanket. “I’m trying to be strong but it’s really hard,” he admitted. “I don’t think I’ll ever be okay when he leaves. Even if we get to visit… he’ll just have to leave again. I don’t want that either.”

“You’ve just got to believe that you’ll always come back. You’ll never be apart always. Plus, you know you two are always together in here…” she poked at his forehead, “And here, too,” she poked at his heart.

Eren wasn’t sure he could really believe that because both his brain and his heart were aching. As much as he wanted to rush to Levi and apologize, he simply couldn’t. Levi said his goodbye and that was that.

“I’m going to go to bed,” he told his mom, wiggling his way under the covers and clutching on to his wet pillow.

“Already?” his mom set his mug of cocoa on his end table and petted the top of his head. “Are you sure?”

No, he wasn’t sure. He wanted to run over to Levi’s house and burst into Levi’s room with a mouthful of apologies and hug him before he had to really go. He wanted to spend their night together as he planned with no sad faces, only giggles and happiness.

But instead he nodded so his mom would leave. When she did, he gathered up Levi’s clothes and used them as a pillow. It was a sad substitute to the sleepover he’d planned, but he figured he might as well get used to it.

It was going to be a long summer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just the transition into a very sad summer for these two T.T Thank you for reading and I hope we can all get through this little angsty portion together <3 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	19. Chapter 19

“Eren, would you just come out? Please don’t make me knock down this door. I’ll go get my tools, don’t think I can’t!” Grisha knocked on the bathroom door in attempts to get his son out. Levi had been gone for one day and Eren refused to come out of the bathroom. He locked himself inside and Grisha was on his seventh attempt at coaxing him out. Carla stood by his side trying to hold back the tears. Even though it wasn’t her fault, she still felt guilty. It pained her to see Eren so distraught and his scent was so potently distressed that it became quite worrisome for the both of them.

Carla wished she could get Levi on the phone to talk to Eren and somehow get the smile back on her sons’ face, but apparently Levi wasn’t taking the situation well either. Kuchel notified her that he refused to speak to her and his scent was so aggressive that she decided she’d best leave him alone in case he couldn’t control his own emotions and actions. Apparently, Hannes had gone to help them with the move and the heavy lifting, much to Carla’s delight, so at least Kuchel wasn’t alone in attempting to help Levi cope.

“Eren?” Carla tried calling out his name and listened to the loud sniffling on the other side. “Come on, it’s time to eat. You need food or else you’ll wither away.”

“I _want_ to wither away,” he yelled back, throwing something against the door to make a loud ‘thump’ sound in his anger.

“I’m going to get the tools before he hurts himself,” Grisha excused himself from the situation to grab the things he needed to take the door off its hinges.

Carla wracked her brain for ideas and suddenly the lightbulb in her mind flashed on. “Eren, I’ve got a gift for you.”

“No, you don’t!” he whined.

“Well, _I_ don’t have one for you. But Levi does. It’s in my closet, remember? You weren’t supposed to open it until now.”

“It’s June first?” Eren softly asked in a gasp.

“It is. Don’t you want to know what’s inside?” she asked him, keeping her voice light and positive. “I sure do.”

The door handle jiggled as Eren unlocked it and he passed his mom without a single glance as he sped off to her bedroom. He vaulted across her king-sized bed and scrambled across the floor to her walk-in closet where the box was safely kept on the top shelf. She followed him in to get it down for him as he was too short to hop up and grab it by himself. “Come on, come on,” he urged her impatiently.

The second she got the box down, he hopped back up onto her bed and started tearing off the holiday paper around it haphazardly. Carla sat down gently beside him, genuinely curious about what was inside.

When Eren had ripped off the paper and stared at the plain, brown shoebox before him he hesitated. His fingers trembled on the lid as he debated whether to open it or not.

“Eren? Aren’t you going to open it?” Kuchel asked, putting one hand over his to stop his trembling.

“I… I don’t know,” he stared down blankly at the box. His eyes were red from crying and his tears had left stained streaks down his flushed cheeks. Snot was flowing from his nose and he used his sleeve to wipe it away, only for it to gather up above his upper lip once more.

“Why not?” she rubbed his back and fished for the real answer.

He just shook his head and hiccupped, “This is… all I have left. What if it’s… nothing?”

“Do you really think Levi would give you nothing?”

Eren chewed on his lip, “I don’t know.”

“He wouldn’t,” she reassured, “It’s definitely not nothing, Eren. You’re special to Levi.”

“If I were special, he wouldn’t have gone away,” Eren mumbled. He’d been stuck on that idea for the longest time and even Levi himself couldn’t convince Eren otherwise. “He _abandoned_ me. Like those people do to those puppies on the commercials.”

“Eren…” Carla gathered him up in her arms to hold him tight and let her own motherly scent wash over her son in an attempt to sweep away his own sour scent.

Grisha came into the bedroom with a hammer in hand, setting it all aside to join his family on the bed. “What have we got here? Levi’s present?”

Carla nodded and let her son silently cry onto her shoulder. She gave him the short explanation, “We haven’t opened it, Eren’s a bit afraid that there’s nothing in there. He thinks Levi abandoned him.”

Grisha cocked his head to the side at the strange fear and picked up the box, shaking it gently. “There’s definitely something in here, Eren. Can’t you hear it?” He set it back down in the center of the bed, willing Eren to go ahead and open it.

“I don’t hear anything,” Eren stubbornly replied, keeping his face buried in the crook of his mother’s neck.

“Hm… I guess if it’s nothing, we should just throw it away. Right?” Grisha tried to spark some kind of action from Eren. Of course, he did.

“No!” Eren screeched, tossing himself over the box as if to protect it, shielding it with his own little body. “We’re not throwing it away,” he muttered unhappily.

“I wouldn’t throw it away,” Grisha laughed lightly, petting Eren’s hair. “See? You _do_ know there’s something in there.”

Eren made a little whimpering sound of defeat and readjusted himself to set the box in his lap. He held a little staring competition with it before grabbing the lid and lifting it off slowly, setting it to the side while gazing at its contents.

There were letters jam packed into the box, all of them in little envelopes with Eren’s name scrawled on them in very neat handwriting. All of them were dated, the first one on top being for June first. Eren picked it up and opened the envelope as carefully as Carla had seen him do anything. His little fingers ripped off the flap carefully and pulled out a letter written on notebook paper. He thrust it into his mom’s hand and begged, “Read it. Please.”

“Eren, you can read. I know you can do it yourself,” she smiled softly, glancing over the simple vocabulary.

He sniffled and shook his head, “I can’t. You have to do it. If I do it… I’ll ruin it.” He stared down at his damp fingers and looked up watering eyes.

Carla started reading with no more hesitations. “Dear Eren, I know you’re probably really upset right now. I am too. I wanted you to have these letters, because I know you won’t be able to see me every day but at least you can have some of my words every day. You’ll probably think I’ll forget about your or that I left you on purpose, but I won’t and I didn’t. We’ll always be best friends, no matter what. Until tomorrow, Levi.”

Eren’s face went through a series of expressions before grabbing the letter out of Carla’s hand, stuffing it back into its envelope and into the box. He shoved the lid back on and kicked it across the room. “It’s _not_ fair!” he screamed before storming out of the bedroom and back into the bathroom, locking the door behind him. They could hear his shrieks echo off the tiled walls. Grisha and Carla gave each other a look of confused disappointment.

“I guess I’ll get to work on that door. I’ll install a handle that doesn’t lock,” Grisha announced in a low, gruff voice. From behind his round glasses, he looked like he was about to cry. Carla didn’t have much room to judge, she was about to cry too. It seemed nothing in the world would help her son except time itself. Her goal was to at least get him to eat and drink something for fear he’d starve himself with grief. The behavior reminded her of a broken bond, though that was impossible because the two were far too young to have that sort of thing. Still, it made her wonder.

“I’ll plan the first weekend they can visit one another,” she decided, grabbing her schedule book to get to work. She doubted Eren would actually want to see Levi, but perhaps if Levi came here it would be something Eren couldn’t resist.

Though, that all depended on if Levi would even want to come. If he was acting the same way as Eren, she doubted they’d want to see each other at all any time soon.

Grisha got the door off its hinges and they found Eren curled up in the bathtub crying his eyes out. His irrational behaviors had them both cautious and expelling the most comforting pheromones to, in a sense, drug him with their happiness and comfort. The overbearing potency of their scents seemed to help him enough to eat a light dinner, drink a glass of water, and fall asleep.

It wasn’t a permanent fix and he’d probably be just as upset the next day (if not more), but it was a start.

* * *

Levi snarled from the corner of his new bedroom as Hannes tried to coax him into calming down. Everything was irritating the boy and Hannes knew he needed to find a way to get him under control. It was like having a standoff with a feral dog as Hannes kept his hands up in surrender and spoke with the gentlest of tones. “Just take some deep breaths, Levi. I think you’re having a panic attack, but that’s okay. We can get through this together.” The scent radiating off of Levi’s hot skin was thick with violence and warning to stay away, so Hannes rightfully kept his distance. In a way, he knew exactly how Levi was feeling.

Everything was a threat and everything was new. He was ripped away from Eren, his dearest friend, and wasn’t sure how he was doing or feeling. Levi probably felt guilty and took the blame for their move, even though he hadn’t had a choice in the matter. Most of all, he was probably hurt and had no idea how to heal the wound of losing his friend like that.

“Get out,” he hissed, keeping his eyes pinned on Hannes in a struggle for dominance. While Levi’s tone and actions were harsh, the look in his eyes was screaming for help.

“No, Levi, we’re going to do this together. Whether you like it or not,” Hannes kept his voice stern and sat on the floor across from Levi, keeping a few meters between them. He used the most dominating scent he could muster to get a hold on the situation and make Levi realize that he was in full control and shouldn’t be challenged. It was much like a police standoff that he’d done a number of times. “I know you’re hurting and I know Eren is too.”

Eren’s name got Levi to stop growling.

Hannes took that as a good sign and continued, “Apparently, he locked himself in the bathroom. Poor Grisha had to take the door off its hinges just to get to him.”

“He _would_ do that…” Levi muttered, wiping the stray tears off his face. “Always so troublesome.”

“He really is. Did you know, when he was three, he took the eggs from the cart and started throwing them at people? When Carla asked why he did it, he just said he wanted to free the chickens. Guess he’d done it after he learned what eggs really were.”

Levi snorted at the story and slowly shook his head. “He’s a dork.”

“He is,” Hannes agreed. “Think you’ll be up for visiting him soon?”

Levi chewed on his lip before slowly shaking his head again. “No. He probably doesn’t want to see me.”

“That’s nonsense, I’m sure he does!” Hannes tried, smiling big. “I bet he misses you just as much as you miss him.”

“Then I’ll see him and he won’t want me to go. And then I’ll have to go and he’ll get sad. And then he’ll be sad all over again and it’ll never stop…” Levi started growling again, his words getting lost in the low vibrations. His scent that had subsided while Hannes entertained him with stories of Eren’s past had escalated again, setting up an invisible wall around him as if to keep the dark emotions out.

It was hard to argue with him and even harder to explain that their friendship wasn’t doomed because of a few hour’s distance. Hannes didn’t possess the right words, but he did have the patience to continue sitting with Levi. “I’ve known Eren forever, Levi. I know he’s stubborn and rash and is guided by his emotions more than his own thick skull. But he’ll come around. I know it. He’s not dumb enough to let you go.”

“You think?” Levi peered up at him but didn’t lower his guard.

“I don’t think. I know.” Hannes tapped on his temple and offered a cheesy grin for some kind of reassurance. “You’ve been really brave during this whole move and I know your mom really appreciates it. You’ll get to see your friends Farlan and Isabel again too, right? And once things have calmed down for certain, you’ll definitely be able to see Eren too.”

Levi hummed in disbelief and looked at all the boxes stacked in his bedroom. The room was definitely different than the one he used to have. Instead of a window looking out to Eren’s house, he had a window looking out to another apartment building. The light shining in brightened up the shaggy brown carpet and beige walls enough to make it look at least somewhat inviting. Luckily, they brought in someone to clean the apartment and sterilize it so no previous scents were left behind. “I’ve got to unpack,” Levi sighed, finally getting up and rummaging through some boxes. “I can do it by myself,” he added as an indication for Hannes to leave. So, he did, and joined Kuchel out in the living room. She was going through boxes herself in an attempt to find a place for everything.

“How’s he doing?” she asked, not looking up from the stack of books she was putting on the shelf.

Hannes shrugged, “Struggling.”

She hummed and plopped down on the floor with books still in hand. “I’m a terrible mother,” she sighed, hiding her face in her hands. “I should have just…”

“You did the right thing,” Hannes knelt down next to her, rubbing her back and using his own scent to help her find peace again. “It’s hard right now but it’ll get better.”

“I don’t know…” she thumbed at the hard cover of _Pride and Prejudice._ “I really don’t. After Levi and Eren… After Rod… Maybe I should have just stayed put.”

“Just give it some time,” he unconsciously crooned, something he hadn’t done in years. It came so naturally, it almost surprised him. “You can always go back, but you can’t always follow your dream like this. I know you’ll love going to school and you’ll be amazing at it. It’ll be good for both you and Levi, just wait and see.”

She nodded and pursed her lips together with new determination. “Okay,” she got up from her spot and resumed her task. “Would you want to stick around for dinner?” she asked. “I think we’re getting takeout from Levi’s favorite diner. They have the best pancakes.”

“I do love pancakes for dinner,” Hannes smiled at her renewed energy. She really was a strong woman, inside and out.

As they arranged the apartment back together, Hannes kept a close watch on Kuchel’s movements. She would stray toward Levi’s bedroom but catch herself in the act and busy herself elsewhere. She’d glance in that direction constantly but stayed firm in her decision to give him space. Hannes wondered if it was the best decision but she knew Levi better than anyone and figured he’d come see her when he needed her.

* * *

The night was colder than usual and Levi hated how stale everything in their new apartment smelled. He missed the warmth of his home and the familiar scents in it. He hated the beige walls and missed the floral wallpaper. He hated that he could hear his neighbors moving around upstairs. He hated the tension in his stomach that refused to leave ever since his last altercation with Eren.

He found himself crawling into his mom’s bed again, trying his best not to wake her up as he shuffled in next to her. At least she smelled familiar and the same as always. He cuddled up to her back and made himself as small as he possibly could, because that was how he felt. Small, powerless, and incredibly lonely.

Levi knew he needed to convince himself of the truth. He couldn’t see Eren anymore, at least not until he could stay by his side for good. The pain was too much and he didn’t want to make his friend suffer more than he already had. He squeezed his eyes shut with one last hope to at least meet him in their dreams. At least there, they could always be together.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for joining me for another chapter, everybody! I hope you enjoy it <3 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	20. Chapter 20

It had been one year. _One entire year._ Levi slumped in his desk and tried to tuck the fraying bits of yarn from his red scarf back into place. He wore it so often it started to tear apart. It made him feel a little closer to the one person who constantly shut him out. Whatever happened to phone calls, letters, and weekend visits? Every time Levi asked, his mom would evade his questions or tell him that Eren wasn’t feeling well. After a while, the obvious became strikingly clear. Eren didn’t want anything to do with him anymore.

“Sulking again?” Farlan fell into his chair next to Levi’s and started stacking some books onto their shared desk. “Is it Eren?” It wasn’t a question. He knew it was Eren. It was always Eren.

“Isn’t he a little too young to be longing for anyway? What is he? Eight?” Isabel nosily chimed in as she always did. “He’s probably forgotten about you by now.”

“It’s only been a year,” Levi mumbled. Isabel could be so blunt sometimes. He knew she didn’t mean any harm by it, she just didn’t think before she spoke. “When Mom’s done with school next year, we’re going back.”

“Think he’ll forgive you then?” Farlan asked, grabbing out some books for the day.

“He better or I’ll come over there and beat some sense into him,” Isabel jokingly said, punching her palm and smirking.

Levi suppressed a growl at the thought of anyone hurting Eren like that and shrugged, “Don’t know. He’s stubborn and gets wrapped up around the stupidest things.”

“Sounds like Isabel,” Farlan snorted.

“Hey!” she defended herself, slapping Farlan on the shoulder, “I _do not_ get wrapped up with stupid things.”

“You wouldn’t talk to me for a whole week after you farted in the middle of class and I laughed,” he proved his point, flicking her on the nose.

An immediate flush covered her face and she frantically looked anywhere but at the two of them, “Whatever.”

“My parents have been thinking about moving out to that town too. It’s smaller and safer… but not as exciting as it is here,” Farlan said, watching as a brawl occurred out in the hallway. A few people got up to spectate but most were too lazy to go look. The common occurrence wasn’t exciting to them anymore and usually only resulted in trouble anyway. Isabel craned her head to figure out who was fighting but otherwise stayed put.

“Want to go to the arcade after school?” Isabel burst. “It’d keep your mind off Eren and I’m thirty tickets away from that slingshot I need.”

“Sure,” he and Farlan agreed at the same time. It was something to do at least. Sometimes they’d set up bottles and throw rocks at them and other times they’d head to the park and end up in some kind of fight. Isabel was quite the instigator but luckily Farlan and Levi served as an unstoppable backup team. Even though his mom would always yell at him for fighting, it was much more interesting than sitting around sulking over Eren.

Even so, he was constantly wondering what he was up to.

* * *

“Eren, are you thinking about Levi again?” Armin asked with a weird smile on his face. Eren, Armin, and Mikasa sat around the lunch table together. Hange and Erwin were sitting with the older kids at the next table over.

“No,” he lied and stuck out his tongue. Of course, he was thinking about Levi. When did he not? He missed his friend and couldn’t get a moment of peace inside his mind without Levi butting in somehow. Every stupid thing seemed to remind Eren of him. His empty seat at their table, the car ride home from school, the empty house next door, and the darkened window across from his…

“Why don’t you just call him?” Mikasa sighed. She was sick of the whole thing and didn’t see why Eren couldn’t just let go of his pride and give in.

Eren just grumbled in response, knowing she’d just retort all the excuses he held onto. When he got right down to it, he was just hurt and didn’t want to get hurt again. It made sense, right? He needed to push away the things that hurt him. The farther he kept Levi, the safer he’d be.

“Are you guys talking about Levi?” Erwin leaned back in his chair to ask the younger kids. “He’s coming back next year, y’know.”

“Next _year_?” Eren moaned. “That’s _forever_!”

“I thought you didn’t want to see him,” Mikasa teased with a flat tone.

“I don’t!” Eren quickly yelped.

“Sure seems like you do,” Armin chuckled.

“You should really call him. He misses you,” Erwin got up from his seat to go put his lunch tray away. “We talk on the phone almost every day and he always asks about you.”

“He does?” Eren called out but Erwin was already too far away. When he looked back to his friends, they were both giggling. “Shut up,” he snapped. “I _don’t_ miss him.”

“Sure you don’t,” Armin rolled his eyes. “Come on, it’s time to go.” He got up too and went to put his tray away so he could head back to class.

Eren looked back to Mikasa who was giving him that look, the one that she gave him whenever he was being ridiculous. “I know not talking to him is hurting you. And I know talking to him hurts too. But I think they’re different kinds of hurting. Maybe you should call.”

“What do you mean different kinds?” he hurried up to follow her out of the cafeteria.

“Well, there’s sad hurting. That’s what you’re feeling now. But I think if you talk to him, it’d be happy hurting.”

“Happy hurting?” Eren was starting to think she lost her marbles.

“Yeah. You only hurt because you care so much. Sometimes that’s not such a bad thing.” She went straight to their shared quad of desks next to Armin and shrugged. “I don’t get what’s so special about the guy, but you seem to really miss him. So, stop being so stupid and just call.”

Eren grumbled at the fact that Mikasa of all people thought he was being stupid. That’s when he knew something was really wrong. “Fine. I’ll think about it,” he decided, spending the entire rest of his school day mulling over the idea.

 

“Did you have a good day?” Eren’s mom asked when he climbed into the backseat of their car. She always asked and Eren usually had the same passive answer.

“I guess,” Eren responded as usual.

“Did you learn anything new?”

“I don’t know.”

“What was your favorite part?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, you’re full of excitement,” she sarcastically laughed, looking back at him through the rearview mirror. “You look pensive.”

“What’s that even mean?” he sighed, slumping back in his seat.

“Like you’ve been thinking hard all-day long.”

Well, she wasn’t wrong. He still couldn’t decide what to do. His mom told him every day that he should try to chat with Levi, but he always just shrugged her off. Apparently, he talked with Erwin every day which made Eren a little jealous. What did they talk about? What was Levi’s new school like? Was he having fun with his old friends? Did he really miss Eren? Levi and Eren were closer friends than Levi and Erwin, weren’t they? They should be the ones talking every day. He should be calling Levi after school and checking on him, not Erwin.

“Mom, I need your phone,” Eren announced suddenly.

“Why’s that?” she asked, not taking her eyes off the road.

“I just need it,” he complained, getting annoyed with her questions. He knew if he didn’t call right then and there, he wouldn’t at all.

She stopped at the red light and dug through her purse, passing the phone back to him. Normally, she would have scolded him for using such a tone with her, but instead she just passed him back the device without another word.

Eren scrolled through her contacts until he found Kuchel Ackerman and tapped on the call button, thrusting the phone up to his ear with urgency. It rang a few times before Levi’s mom finally picked up, “Hello?”

“Is Levi there?” Eren practically shouted.

“Eren? Is that you?” she sounded surprised.

“Yeah, I need to talk to Levi,” he stressed.

“He’s out with his friends right now, but he should be back in an hour or so. I’ll definitely have him call you back, for sure! It won’t be long at all, he’ll be here!” she was shouting with excitement right back at Eren. “I’ll make sure he gets back to you, I will!”

Eren hung up without saying goodbye and passed the phone back to his mom. He wasn’t sure why a sudden surge of anger was passing through him. Levi was out playing with other kids, spending his time after school with new friends. He didn’t need Eren anymore and their ritual of spending the gap of time between getting home and dinner was gone forever. He crossed his arms and averted his eyes out the window, ultimately disappointed. The moment he gains the momentum to actually contact Levi, and he isn’t even there for him.

 He chucked the phone back into his mom’s purse and the moment they got home, he stormed into his bedroom and shut the door behind him. A part of him wanted to wait around for the call, asking his mom to constantly check the phone. The other just felt betrayed and lost. It felt like an entire piece of him had up and left with Levi and that he’d never get it back again. He hated Levi for that.

For just a moment he thought about what Mikasa said, the difference between bad hurting and good hurting. It didn’t make any sense and he wondered why she even bothered. How could any sort of hurt be good? He didn’t need her to lecture him about it. He’d made up his mind.

He tossed himself face first onto his bed and dug out the old sweaters from under his pillow. They still smelled like Levi and it was comforting in the worst way. Eren thought about throwing them out hundreds of time but could never bring himself to do it. On the days when he missed Levi the worst, at least he could press his nose into those sweaters, close his eyes, and pretend he was hugging Levi instead of a heap of clothes. Even after the entire year he was gone, they still smelled just like him.

Eren eyed the shoebox that sat on the top shelf of his closet. He hadn’t read any of Levi’s letters after the first one. It was another thing he couldn’t bear to throw away. There were still three hundred and sixty-four envelopes for him to open up and read, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He dared to leave his bed in favor of grabbing the box and tossing it open again, staring down the envelopes in conflict. He’d done the same routine so many times it was almost funny. Every time he’d get frustrated and just toss it back into his closet, but things were a little different that particular day.

He took out the envelope with the number two on it and started reading.

_Eren,_

_It’s snowing like crazy outside while I’m writing these and it reminds me of the days we stay inside and read together. While I’m gone, you better save up some good stories for us. We’ll have to catch up when I get back._

_Until tomorrow, Levi_

He tore open the third one.

_Eren,_

_When you move up to the next grade, you won’t get naptime anymore. Not like you ever needed it in the first place. Hange still thinks it’s hilarious that you sneaked into our classroom so many times that the teachers just gave up on holding you back. You’re pretty relentless, you know that?_

_Until tomorrow, Levi_

A forth one.

_Eren,_

_There’s a manga series I think you’d really like, but you’ll have to borrow the books from Erwin. He’s got them all. Make sure to call me and tell me what you think. I’ll write down the name of them at the bottom of this page._

_Until tomorrow, Levi_

He spent the entire hour reading through letters until he was surrounded by a rather neat pile of letters and envelopes. For fear of wrecking them, he did his best to not tear too hard on the envelopes or grip onto the letters too tightly. Each one had just a few sentences of a shared memory, recommendations for books and movies, song lyrics they both liked, and some even had handmade crosswords with silly words hidden in them. Eren realized how much work Levi probably put into the gift and Eren hadn’t even tried to open it until a full year later.

“Eren, you’ve got a phone call,” his mom burst into the room as if she’d just found some buried treasure. “It’s Levi.”

Eren took the phone from her hand and stared down at it while biting his lip. His mind was telling him to do so many things at once, it almost hurt. Tell him to leave you alone. Try to apologize for staying away. Yell and scream at him for leaving. Cry and tell him you miss him.

With a shaky hand, he held the device up to his ear and finally spoke, “Hello?”

“Eren,” Levi’s voice came out as a gasp. Eren wasn’t sure if he was surprised our out of breath or both.

“Levi,” Eren returned, realizing that he was finally talking to his best friend once more. The realization hit him like a truck and his eyes started to water. “Levi, I… I…”

“I miss you,” Levi spoke for the both of them. “A lot.”

“I miss you too,” Eren sputtered, the words finally leaving his lips as if he’d been holding them back all year. Just the sound of Levi’s voice got the truth coming right out of him.

“Why haven’t you called? Or even let me visit?”

“I… It’d just…” Eren tried to figure it out. He’d been coming up with new excuses for months and suddenly none of them mattered except for the one honest truth. “Because you’d just have to go away again. And then I’d get hurt all over again.”

“Doesn’t it hurt worse _not_ talking?” he asked.

Suddenly, what Mikasa had said was finally making a little more sense. It _did_ hurt not talking or seeing each other whatsoever. At least if they had contacted one another in the first place, the pain wouldn’t last forever. It was only temporary until the next time they could talk on the phone or visit. Cutting Levi out forever was definitely worse. “Yeah, it does,” Eren sighed. “I just… I really miss you. And it sucks.”

“Yeah, it really does suck. There’s no one around here that can sit through space movies with me or climb trees like you do.”

“Really?” Eren perked up. “What about your friends?”

“Farlan and Isabel? They’re great. But they’re not you.”

“Oh,” Eren was smiling wide. Every doubt he had suddenly disintegrated into nothing. One confirmation from Levi unwound every fear he’d wrapped himself up in for months. “Are there trees in the city to climb, even?”

“Not any good ones,” Levi laughed. “None like ours.”

“What do you do then?”

“We go to the arcade and sometimes the park. Usually I just go home to our apartment.”

“What’s it like?”

“Smells weird. No Alphas are allowed in there unless they get a special pass. Hannes visits a lot.”

“Aren’t you an Alpha?” Eren teased.

“Not yet anyway,” Levi responded with a little laugh. “Lots of people think I am, though. I guess it’s probably true.”

“Hmm…” Eren plopped onto the floor and toyed with one of his action figures, moving its arms up and down. “Doesn’t really matter what you are, I guess. You’re still my best friend…” his voice grew quite small with uncertainty, “Right?”

“Right,” Levi answered right away. “Always.”

Eren breathed a sigh of relief and blurted out, “I’m sorry, Levi.”

“It’s fine now,” Levi said. Eren wanted to desperately hug him or something like that. It was what he’d been wanting to hear for ages. “So, do you think I could come visit you?”

Visiting? That was different than a call. Then he’d actually be able to see him and touch him and be with him again. And then he’d have to watch Levi leave again. “I don’t know,” Eren told him. It was probably an irrational fear but Eren didn’t care. It was his gut reaction and he stuck with it through and through.

“Oh,” Levi said, which made Eren’s heart sink.

“Maybe we could just talk on the phone… more?” Eren chewed on his lip as he said it.

“Yeah,” Levi responded shortly. “I’ve got to go. I’ll talk to you later. Hopefully.”

The line was cut and Eren stared down at his mom’s phone with tears in his eyes. It was brilliant and horrible all at the same time and he had no idea what to think. They were best friends, weren’t they? So why did the thought of seeing Levi in person scare him so much?

Maybe because the moment he’d be able to see him again would be the moment he wouldn’t be able to let go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delayed update on this one, everybody! It's been a crazy week! I hope all is going well for you, thank you all so much for reading <3
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	21. Chapter 21

There were no visits and the calls were few and far between. Perhaps it just wasn’t meant to be. The timing was always off and a very thick wall of awkward emotions seemed to separate them even more than the distance did. And, of course, they were both busy. Eren took up a bunch of new sports to see which one he liked best and Levi, apparently, spent a lot of time with his friends and joined some clubs as well. But the day Eren saw the moving van park in the driveway of Levi’s old house, his heart skipped a beat. It was weird because he felt like he hardly knew Levi anymore and shouldn’t have been so effected. Still, he couldn’t stop himself from gawking out the window and smiling whenever he saw that familiar, indifferent scowl go in and out of the house with a new moving box.

“Oh, look! Kuchel and Levi are moving back in! She said they’d be here this afternoon, but they’re early!” Carla exclaimed, walking straight out the door. Before she left, she poked her head back inside and smiled at Eren, “Come say hello, honey. Don’t be a stranger. It’ll be nice to see our close friends again.”

Eren glared at her but followed her out anyway. He didn’t like it whenever she told him to do something. Obviously, he was going to go say hi. Wasn’t he? Why was he feeling so nervous all of a sudden? Eren made the last-minute decision to bolt back into the house when a voice anchored him right back down to the pavement. “Eren.”

Eren spun around to see Levi, though he really didn’t look like Levi anymore. He was taller and his voice sounded a little deeper and rougher. When he cocked his head to the side in question, his hair brushed from one side to the other. Then again, he still had those same eyes and that same small smile.

“Levi,” Eren returned in the same manner, unable to think of any other sort of greeting. He stared at his feet and started to feel really hot. He blamed it on the sun and not his shy embarrassment. What the hell did he have to be embarrassed about anyway?

“I guess, uh, we’re neighbors again,” Levi scratched the back of his neck and averted eye contact too. “How was school? How is everybody? How’s your summer going? I sort of lost touch with Erwin last year. It’s been really busy…”

“It’s fine,” Eren answered him just the same as he always did when someone asked him about school. “Everybody’s fine. Hange and Erwin are going to be in middle school this year, but it’s just right upstairs so we still see them a lot. They sit at the lunch table next to ours too. Haven’t seen them all summer though. They hang out with the older kids, mostly.”

“Your mom said you were on a baseball team last month?”

“Yeah, we won first place at the championship which was pretty cool.” Eren wanted to smack himself in the face for being so lame. Why was it so awkward? Why couldn’t they just pick it back up from where they left off? Two years was a long time and maybe they just weren’t the same people anymore?

“Hey, good for you. I better get unpacking some more, but I’m sure I’ll see you around. Your mom said they were going out for dinner sometime this week and asked me to hang out with you while they’re gone.”

A bright, red flush covered Eren’s face. Did Levi just become his designated _babysitter_? Eren wasn’t sure whether to punch something or run away. “Okay! Bye!” he shouted, choosing the second option of running away. He sprinted back into his house and into his bedroom, crashing into his bed and hiding under the blankets.

“What the _hell_?” he shrieked into his pillow. He didn’t need a babysitter. He didn’t need to be looked after. And he _definitely_ didn’t need Levi to be taking on that role. Out of all people, Levi was the _last_ person he wanted ‘watching’ him while his parents were away.

He snuck a peek out his bedroom window. It wasn’t darkened anymore but rather bright and open. Levi was going in and out with several boxes at a time, putting clothes away, and stacking books back onto the shelves. Eren couldn’t remember the last time he looked over to the window across the way and actually smiled.

Out of habit, he dragged out those stupid sweatshirts he’d kept under his bed for so long. He buried his nose in them but couldn’t smell anything anymore. Still, the action got his nerves to stop spiraling out of control. Levi was the same age as Eren when he’d given the clothes to him and Eren dared to try one on, finding that it fit rather nicely on him. He didn’t want to get caught wearing it by Levi so he hurriedly shucked it off and tucked them back in their spot. His eyes then wandered to the shoebox of letters Levi had written them, little notes that Eren read again and again so many times that he’d lost count. They were safely stacked on the top shelf of his closet. The few things he had from Levi while he was away didn’t even start to measure up to seeing him in person again.

* * *

Moving sucked but it wasn’t entirely that bad for a few select reasons. One, they got out of the city. Levi hated their cramped apartment that smelled so sterile it made him sick some days. Their old house in the suburbs sat empty the entire time they were gone so at least the only smells that were left were his own and his mother’s. Two, they didn’t have a lot of stuff so it really didn’t take that long. He spent more time organizing than actually unpacking. Three, he got to see Eren again.

It was weird seeing his childhood friend. Eren had grown up so much so fast, he was taller and wasn’t as pudgy anymore. He was still clumsy as ever but not in an inexperienced way, but rather a nervous way that was sort of cute. Levi stopped himself from dwelling on the fact that he called Eren ‘cute’ and kept his mind moving forward. They were both older which meant things just couldn’t be the same as they were. He needed to stop feeling so frustrated with the fact that they had to separate and focus on being there for his mom.

After they’d put the restraining order in place, Rod hadn’t bothered them. With Hannes in and out of their apartment so often, it was hard to feel threatened by Rod anymore to begin with. Still, they’d heard that he moved into the same neighborhood to be closer to his daughter which meant they’d actually have to see him again. Levi wasn’t sure if he could hold himself back. Not only did he harm his mother and himself, but he also touched Eren too. While he and Eren weren’t as close as they used to be, the memory still bothered him to his core and left a hatred toward Rod Reiss festering in his gut.

With only a few weeks of summer left and an entire school year ahead of him, Levi was already drowsy. He was bombarded with new scents and couldn’t process them all. Even though he was happy to be back, he still missed Farlan and Isabel. It was like he couldn’t win.

He looked out his window and into Eren’s bedroom. The kid was flopped over his bed looking depressed as ever, just like Levi. Why did it have to be so awkward? Why did it feel like they were farther apart than they really were? He’d gone on and on about how Eren was his best friend and always would be, but why didn’t it feel that way anymore? One piece of him wanted to burst through Eren’s window and hug onto him like he used to. The other kept him locked onto his bed, not wanting to cross any lines. Just the thought of Eren got him feeling a little warmer and it stressed him out.

“What’s going on?” he muttered unhappily, forcing himself to get back up and help his mom. As much as he tried to push Eren out of his brain, he just couldn’t. He didn’t like how wrong everything felt and wanted normal again. But with so much changing, what was even normal anymore?

* * *

Eren spent days strategically and successfully avoiding Levi at all costs. He didn’t hate him or resent him whatsoever, but he really didn’t appreciate the uncomfortable stirring in his stomach whenever he saw Levi’s face. Of course, the hiding couldn’t last forever. His parents were rushing out the door once Levi arrived in their home, eager to go on their date while leaving the two used-to-be friends on their own.

They sat on opposite ends of the couches staring at the television. Some movie was playing but Eren wasn’t sure which one it was and he wasn’t interested either. He was sweating with nerves and kept glancing over to Levi in hopes to figure out what he was thinking. How did they used to sit around all the time under the same blanket? How were they able to feel so relaxed around each other?

“You hungry?” Levi asked, finally breaking the silence. His voice didn’t show any emotion, none. Eren was hoping for a quiver of anxiety or a cheerful upbeat of joy, but there was nothing there.

“Sure,” Eren shrugged. “My mom made beet stew and lamb, but…”

“You don’t like beets. I’ll make us something if you don’t mind?” Levi rolled off the couch and strode into the kitchen, starting to paw through the cabinets. “Your mom said to help myself, so I doubt she’ll care.”

Eren set himself up on the countertop to watch over Levi’s movements as he started cooking. “You cook?” he asked, realizing that this seemed all fairly routine to him.

“Yeah, there were a lot of nights mom was at school and I was home alone. I taught myself. I’m not that great, but I make do.”

“I’m sure anything you make would suck less than beet stew,” Eren laughed. He found the fact that Levi actually knew how to cook to be impressive. Eren couldn’t make much and didn’t have the desire to learn, but watching Levi sparked the inspiration to learn how. He made a mental reminder to ask his mom about it later.

Levi cracked a smile and laughed too, “That’s for sure.” He stopped in place when his phone started buzzing in his pocket and checked over the screen.

“Who is it?” Eren asked absentmindedly, needing more conversation and less silence between them.

“Oh, some girl texted me,” Levi shrugged. “She’s from my old school. She just asked how I was doing here.”

“Some girl, hm?” Eren started to tease as he began to feel a little more at ease, “Your _girlfriend_?”

“She’s _not_ my girlfriend,” Levi was quick to counter, shoving the phone back into his pocket without replying to the text and continuing where he’d left off.

“Is she going to be your mate?” Eren pressed, wiggling his eyebrows comically. It was easy to play it off as a joke, but he honestly wanted to know.

“No, she’s not even my girlfriend.”

“Going to kiss her?”

“No.”

“Is she going to come and visit?”

Levi let out an irritated huff and broke out into that smirk he always used when he was teasing, “What if she does?”

Eren’s cheesy grin dropped at the thought. “Wait, she really is your girlfriend? And she’s coming here?”

“Does that freak you out or something?” It was Levi’s turn to push on Eren’s buttons. The worst part was that with his calm, collected tone it was hard to tell if Levi was telling the truth or lying.

“N-no,” Eren looked away and rested his cheeks in his hands. “Just wondering is all.”

Levi chuckled and slowly shook his head, “Well, she’s not my girlfriend. And she’s not coming to visit. Just a friend, that’s it.”

The stress on Eren’s gut lifted automatically and he couldn’t understand why. For some reason, he felt better and he decided not to question it too much. “What are you making?” he decided to ask instead, wanting to steer clear of the ‘girlfriend’ subject all together.

“Spaghetti. I’m just mixing some stuff together for the sauce. Tomatoes, basil, oregano, stuff like that.”

“We’ve got sauce in a jar. It’s in the fridge…” Eren cocked his head to the side.

“It tastes better this way. Sometimes good things take a little work,” Levi smiled down into the bowl and once he was satisfied, he moved it to a pot on the stove to heat up. He threw in the noodles and stirred until they were both ready to serve. Eren watched, mesmerized, the entire time.

Levi served up two plates and the two of them sat at the dinner table, quietly munching on their dinner.

“This is _amazing_ ,” Eren’s eyes were practically starving. “This beats beet stew _any day_. I could eat this forever.”

“You think? That’s good,” Levi smiled. “We should watch a movie after this. I haven’t seen any good ones for a while. Got any that I haven’t seen?”

“Bet I do,” Eren was smiling too. Finally, things weren’t so terribly weird anymore but rather just a little weird and he could handle a little weird.

“I swear all Izzy and Farlan watch are horror movies. After a while, watching a girl get her head chopped off isn’t as fun anymore,” he said.

“Gross.” Eren shivered. He’d never admit it, but his parents still forbid him from watching anything with gore. Really, he didn’t mind it unless it meant he couldn’t join his friends for their scary movie nights. It sucked showing up to school the next day and having nothing to say while they all talked about how good the movies were.

“Yeah, it is.” Levi twirled one of his last strands of pasta around his fork. “You’ll have to show me some of your favorites now.”

“I will!” Eren plowed through the rest of his dinner just so he could run into the living room and find something good for the both of them to watch. He refused to waste any opportunity to make things a little more normal between them. While he picked out some options, he could hear Levi putting the dishes into the dishwasher and cleaning up the mess they’d made.

When Levi finally came out to join him, Eren had it narrowed down to three and had Levi choose the final winner. They went with an animated one featuring a group of students who became superheroes. It was one of Eren’s current favorites and he was more than happy to share it with Levi who’d never seen it before. He grabbed an old, fluffy blanket from the basket next to the couch and curled up with one end of it, letting the other end pile up in between them. Almost instantly, Levi grabbed the other end and smoothed it out over his lap so it was effectively covering both of them. Suddenly, it wasn’t so different from what they’d used to do.

As the movie went on, the middle of the couch acted as its own gravitational force and the two of them seemed to effortlessly inch toward one another without even thinking about it. Having seen the movie hundreds of times before, Eren’s eyes got a little droopy as the minutes passed on. His head slumped to the side, hitting Levi’s shoulder just before he was completely out.

* * *

Carla had to admit, she was anxious to get back home to see how the boys fared. After so much time apart, she wasn’t surprised that they’d gotten off on a rocky start. Eren was constantly making excuses to stay inside or spend the days at his friends’ houses, obviously seeking to avoid the mere possibility of bumping into Levi. Kuchel noticed Levi acting quite oddly too and the two of them conspired to reconcile their children’s friendship.

“Maybe you’re meddling too much,” Grisha worried. “Do you think forcing them together will help or harm?”

“Help,” Carla replied instantly without even thinking about it. “And you know I’m always right.”

“Of course,” Grisha rolled his eyes as they pulled into the garage.

Carla leapt out of the car and stepped inside, peering around the kitchen to find it sparkling clean. She moved into the living room and found the main menu of Eren’s favorite movie playing on the television while the two boys were on the couch. Eren was resting on Levi’s shoulder, dead asleep. Levi looked up to her and smiled, “Ah, hi Mrs. Jaeger.”

“I keep telling you to just call me Carla, honey. What… happened here?”

“He fell asleep a bit ago. Didn’t want to wake him up, I guess,” Levi mumbled and sat rather stiffly.

“Oh, he sleeps like a log. Look,” she knelt in front of them and tipped Eren off of Levi’s shoulder. He fell to the other side and didn’t even stir. Levi stared at him for a moment and chewed on his lip as if he wanted to say or ask something, but instead just got up from his spot and headed toward the front door. “I’ll get going, then. See you later.”

“Oh, wait, Levi! Your payment for babysitting.” Carla started digging through her purse, but Levi stopped her.

“It’s fine, you don’t have to pay me…” Levi looked between her and Eren before shrugging, “He’s my friend. So, you don’t have to give me money for watching over him.”

Carla wasn’t sure how to respond other than just thanking him again and waving goodbye. Her smile was so wide it almost hurt. She spun around to face her mate, holding back a squeal of excitement. “See?”

“You’re always right,” Grisha fondly kissed her on the cheek and went to carry Eren to bed. Perhaps Eren was a little old for it, but Carla figured Grisha knew the days of carrying his son around were numbered and he’d relish what he could.

Time was moving quickly indeed and she knew things would change as well. If anything, she hoped Eren and Levi could stick together through it all. They were good for one another in different ways and a friendship like theirs was one in a million.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everybody! We're going to go through some time-skips in the next few chapters and I hope that's okay. Luckily, they're back together again (yay!) but we've still got some growing up to do! Thank you all for your support and comments, I really appreciate all of them!
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	22. Chapter 22

Returning to school after being away for a few years wasn’t as bad as Levi had anticipated. Luckily, he got into the same homeroom class as Hange and Erwin which was a relief. They’d made a few friends while he was gone and were more than happy to introduce him to Mike and Nanaba. Mike was a bigger kid but as quiet as the grave. His blond hair was grown out long and combed into a ponytail behind his head. Nanaba was sharp as a tack and could keep up with Hange and Erwin’s wit easily. Unlike Mike, her hair was cut short into a pixie cut, apparently, she hated it when it got in her face.

Levi was almost baffled by how their school was set up compared to the schools in the city. With so few people in town, the entire education system was set up in one building. The elementary was a collection of rooms in the basement. The middle school was just a few hallways and classrooms on the main floor. The high school, ironically, was on the top floor. It was a drastic change from the city, where there were multiple elementary school buildings spread out throughout the city along with middle schools and high schools. His class sizes dropped dramatically too with only twenty kids in his homeroom instead of thirty to forty. It was more laidback and a lot quieter, that was for sure.

The classes went by smoothly and it was almost like old times again, but with less Eren which made things a little less exciting. He didn’t have a nap time anymore and spent a lot of his time trolling around with Armin and Mikasa. It seemed an invisible line was cast between middle schoolers and elementary students that stifled them from interacting until they got in the car to go home. Levi was almost disappointed. He knew things wouldn’t be the same, but he did miss Eren.

“My brother told me they’re doing the sex videos today,” some girl gabbed loudly in class, getting all the other students riled up. Levi was still uninterested; the entire idea of sex didn’t excite him anymore. He knew what went where and enough about his own situation to get the idea.

“Gross,” Nanaba scoffed.

“Interesting!” Hange piped up, covering up Nanaba’s opinion.

The rumors held true when their teacher pulled down the projection screen and announced the inevitable. “Today we’re going to be talking about presentation, since it might start happening within the next one to two years for you all. We wanted to make sure you were extremely prepared and will know exactly what will happen and that it is completely normal. For an expert opinion, this lesson will be taught by our school nurse, Ms. Ackerman.”

Levi’s mom came in through the doorway and waved to the class. At that very moment, all heads shifted Levi’s way and he couldn’t stop the blush from creeping up on his face.

“Your mom is the school nurse?” Hange blurted out. “Wow! I had no idea!”

The very notion that his mother would be teaching their class sex education right in front of him made him want to slink down in his chair and die a little. She was smiling at the front of the room, patiently waiting for the students to return their attention to her so she could begin. When the immature twelve-year-olds were too busy giggling at Levi she cleared her voice and spoke over them, “Nice to meet you all. As you’re clearly aware, I am Levi’s mom. Let’s get over it and move on.”

Luckily, that was enough to get their eyes off of him and back onto the screen. A slideshow presentation was set up with the title _Your Changing Bodies_ and Levi wanted to vomit right then and there. It was like a personal nightmare having his mother talk to his entire class about their changing bodies. While he wasn’t fazed by the topic of sex, he was quite flustered by his own mother lecturing them about it.

“Okay, in the next few years you’ll go through, what we call _presentation,_ where your secondary gender will, as you guessed it, present itself. It’s a trait that lies dormant until you become sexually mature. Now, there are three different forms of presentation depending on what you present as. I’m sure you all know by now, there are Alphas, Betas, and Omegas.” She changed the slide to show the Alpha page where it had a cartoon diagram of a male and a female. “Alphas of both primary genders have penises. Female Alphas will already know they’re Alphas by now because of this, though you will all still go through presentation. Alphas are a ‘dominant’ gender who can impregnate female Betas and Omegas. They’re able to produce a knot, an inflation in their penis that will keep them and their mate anchored together while the mating proceeds.”

During presentations, Alphas go through a _rut_. During a rut, Alphas seek an outlet for their sexual frustrations and go through several mating habits as their body attempts to seek relief. This can manifest in a number of ways from nesting and scenting to an insatiable sexual drive. After first presenting, Alphas may be aggressive and territorial. This will wear off once you get used to the hormone imbalances, so don’t be too worried for the first few days after presenting.”

Levi couldn’t believe how calm and collected his mother sounded while those terribly embarrassing words were leaving her lips. She changed the slide over to Betas.

“Betas are a middle ground between Alphas and Omegas. Their bodies stay the same after presenting, though you will notice scents and bond with your mate which we can talk about later. Presenting for Betas takes just a few days of hormone imbalances. You’ll become keen to the scents around you and may take up habits such as nesting and scenting as well. Betas tend to have a milder scent than Alphas and Omegas and are less sensitive to changes in scents as well.”

She changed the slide again to Omegas.

“Omegas are a receptive gender that can be impregnated by both Alphas and male Betas. While male Omegas have a penis, they have a secondary tract through their anus that leads to a womb. While presenting, an Omega will go through a _heat_ and crave attention from their mate. They’ll go through habits like nesting, scenting, and doing anything they can naturally think of to allure their mate. Both will secrete _slick_ to naturally lubricate themselves for mating. They’ll become highly sensitive to scents and rather subservient to dominant mates. During a heat, much like an Alpha, they’ll have an insatiable need to mate.”

Levi’s mom swapped to the next slide that had a list of her contact information and started passing out brochures and booklets. “This is just an extremely brief overview of presenting. Since it is a sensitive subject and something I’m sure none of you want to talk about openly, I encourage you to come visit me in my office if you’ve got any more questions and we can open it up for a deeper discussion. I’m passing out some reference materials as well that may help you answer some more questions.”

Levi looked down to the few pamphlets and wanted to cringe a little. Once everything was passed out, she returned her attention back to the slides. The next one was titled ‘Scenting’.

“Biologically, we’re mammals that use our scent to mark our territory and identify ourselves. We’ve all got a unique scent that differentiates ourselves from each other and can be used for marking purposes. We’ve got exterior scent glands on our necks and wrists. As you get older, you may feel the urge to scent mark your boyfriends or girlfriends by rubbing your scent glands together. It’s completely normal and the oils wash off in a matter of hours or sometimes days. The scents can also be covered up by someone else’s. It’s an entirely safe process, but I do stress that you understand the importance of the act. Scent marking is intended to mark a claim or relationship and requires extreme consent. If anyone marks you and you’re not comfortable with it, I urge you to tell an adult whether it’s a me, another faculty member, or your guardians. Marking someone who is not okay with it is extremely inappropriate and calls for further action.”

Levi thought back to the day Rod marked Eren and bristled. He could remember the rage coursing through his veins and the pure audacity of the guy to subtly mark Levi’s friend. He remembered how every cell in his body called out for him to erase the oils from Eren’s body and replace them with his own.

“Bonding is a different matter in which you leave a permanent marking on your mate that will link you together in mind, body, and soul. It’s an age-old method to keep mates together even when they’re separated. Bonds are unique to the couple and are even more serious as marriage. While you may have the urge to bond with your mate throughout your adolescence, it’s important that you remember that it is a choice that will last a lifetime. A broken bond is a painful experience that will last years. Hormone suppressants can really help with the instinctive urges to bond, so it hasn’t been as much of an issue these days as it has in the past. Please keep in mind that a bond is something sacred and should wait until you’re out of school at least.”

His eyes went straight to her neck where her markings were barely visible under the makeup she usually stuck over them. Levi doubted he’d ever bond with anyone after what he’d seen her go through. He wondered if anyone else in class knew of the agony of a broken bond.

“Now that we’ve done a general overview of our secondary genders, we’ll move on to the typical chat on puberty….” She loaded up a new slideshow and Levi died again. Not only did he have to listen to her talk about presenting, scent marking, and bonding but also about awkward boners and periods. He glanced over to Erwin who was snickering at him teasingly and Levi wondered how much trouble he’d get in for socking the guy right in the nose then and there.

Their lunch hour had been more than just a little rambunctious. “Levi, you’re already an Alpha right? So, you already know all this stuff, huh?” Hange exclaimed. “Geez, that must be nice to know for sure! I’m not an Alpha, that’s for damn sure. Geez, it seems like the Omega gets the short end of the stick. I’ve heard heats are a bitch.” A nearby teacher glared at her for cursing and she just rolled her eyes and shut her mouth tightly.

“My dad leaves the house whenever he gets his heat,” Nanaba added to the conversation in her usual polite manner. It was a stark contract to Hange’s boisterous demeanor. “Usually lasts at least a week if not more. My mom goes too so they can spend it together. My grandma stays with me while they’re at the heat hotel.”

Mike’s blush was glowing from across the table and his buried his nose even further into the book he was reading.

“Both of my dads are male Betas so they don’t go through any of that,” Erwin shrugged, rather open to the topic.

“You’re a natural leader, Erwin, I’d bet ten bucks you’re an Alpha,” Hange started stroking her chin. “Looks like we’ll have to make you and Levi battle for who gets to be our friend-squad leader.”

“It’d be an easy fight. Levi’s probably more interested in leading Eren around,” Erwin goaded. “You’ve been looking at him all lunch hour. What’s going on with you two anyway?”

Levi let out an annoyed huff and rolled his eyes, “Nothing’s going on and I’m not staring.” He was staring. Eren was eating so fast he might choke and Levi figured he’d at least prepare himself for rushing over to give him CPR. How many times had he warned him not to eat fast?

“You are staring,” Erwin corrected him with a smile. “Still connected at the hip?”

“No, he’s less clingy now that he’s older,” Levi mumbled, getting back to his own lunch.

“But he’s still fairly clingy,” Hange looked on at the way he was leaning on Mikasa’s shoulder while pleading for something. “Maybe he’s an Omega.”

“And maybe you’re annoying. Stop looking at him like that,” Levi shot back, finding himself rather done with the topic. Mike seemed exhausted of it too, still stuck in his book.

She hummed with a smile and grabbed out her notes for their upcoming algebra test. Levi’s bites didn’t affect her anymore and she simply ignored his abrasive comments. They must have warned Nanaba and Mike as well because the two carried on just as Hange, more than happy to discuss possible test questions and go over notes together.

So, what if Eren _was_ an Omega? That shouldn’t have mattered at all. Why was Levi getting so worked up over it? He pinched the bridge of his nose and decided the day was just wearing on him the wrong way. All he wanted to do was go home and see if Eren’s day went any better.

 

The end of the day didn’t come a second too soon. He was only a few weeks into the school year and was ready for it to be over again. Talking about penises and vaginas with his mother wasn’t exactly the best way to start it all off. It especially didn’t help when she gave him a special wave goodbye after the presentation.

“I thought it went quite well!” she clapped as she walked with him and Eren to her car. She’d been taking them to and from school for the pure convenience of it. “What do you think? Did you learn a lot? Maybe I should have been a teacher instead of a school nurse.”

“Could you be my teacher? Mine is the worst,” Eren sulked. “She made me stay inside for recess _again_ today.”

“What’d you do this time?” Levi asked.

“Jean,” was all Eren said, muttering his name like a curse. Jean Kirstein had made his way into their little friend group and always found a way to ruffle Eren’s feathers. Whether it was making fun of his short stature or hiding his books, Jean found a way to get Eren fired up. Usually it ended with some kind of brawl in the middle of the classroom and both of them sitting in for recess as a form of punishment. Still, somehow, they kept on the friendship as if it were normal.

“If you don’t let him get to you, he’ll stop poking fun,” Levi reminded him again. He really didn’t get why Eren hung out with a guy like that.

“It’s not my fault,” Eren always returned. “He starts it every time.”

“Do I need to tell your mom again?” Kuchel sighed, “You shouldn’t be fighting anyone to begin with, Eren. If he’s irritating you, you need to tell your teacher instead of resorting to violence.”

“Please don’t tell her!” Eren burst. “She’ll just yell at me again.”

“Maybe you should actually listen to her,” Levi chuckled.

“What did _you_ do today?” Eren asked, obviously trying to get off the subject. “Your mom got to teach you something, right?”

“You’ll learn when you’re older,” Levi quickly spurt out in attempts to completely erase the day from his memory bank.

“What was it?” Eren pried. “I’m old enough.”

“You’ll just have to wait a few years. I’ll surely be coming to your class to give you the lesson too!” Kuchel giggled. “I’m looking forward to that day.” She got them all into the backseat of the car and started on their way back home.

“Me too!” Eren gave up on trying to figure it out as he became quickly distracted by the song on the radio. He shushed Levi any time he opened his mouth to speak so he could listen to the song at full blast all the way back home.

When the song finally ended, Kuchel turned down the volume and pulled into their driveway. “Oh, I forgot to ask. Levi, would you hang out with Eren for a bit at his home until Carla gets back home? She’s held up at her doctor’s appointment. She shouldn’t be long…”

“That’s fine,” Levi opened the car door and held it open for Eren. “Let’s go. I’ll even help you with your homework so it gets done faster.” After school, they’d gotten into the habit of doing their homework right away to get it over with. Levi always went out of his way to help Eren too, knowing that if he didn’t Eren would just complain the entire time about how bored he was.

Eren leapt out of the car and bolted into his own house so he could empty out his backpack on the kitchen table and get to work. Levi found the activity calming and it helped him repress his horrors of the day. Unfortunately, some of the topics stuck in his mind and returned every now and then. While he’d known all his life that he’d present as an Alpha, what would Eren be? Not too long ago, someone accused Eren of being an Omega and Hange even thought so too. He hated to admit it, but she was always fucking right. Was it even true? And why did Levi care so much? He realized he’d been staring at Eren and shook his brain a bit to get the silly thoughts out of his head. It was stupid to keep wondering about something like that, right?   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Thank you all for joining me for another chapter! I hope your week has been going great!! 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi: 13  
> Eren: 9

The year went by a lot faster with Levi around and Eren was seemingly following in his footsteps. If Levi went out for baseball, so did Eren. When Levi got roped back into the basketball team, Eren joined a team as well. When Levi stayed after school to study in the library, so did Eren. It wasn’t that he was trying to _be_ like Levi or anything, he just liked the company. Levi was fun to be around and he seemed to keep the bullies away too, not that Eren couldn’t fight for himself.

Mikasa, Armin, and Jean all followed Eren’s lead as well in joining the various sports teams and extra studying. That meant Hange and Erwin joined in as well, always claiming they didn’t want to miss out on the fun. Sometimes Mike and Nanaba, Levi’s new friends, would attend as well. Mike was quiet but always had snacks, which won Eren over easily. Nanaba was much better at helping Eren with his homework than Levi, she was much more patient and better at explaining things. But, even so, he still preferred Levi to help him. Something about complaining to Levi felt much more satisfying than not having to complain at all.

The days were going by blissfully once more as they fell into their same routines again. Seasons changed and Eren hardly noticed when a whole month went by. His mind was scattered between his friends, school, sports, and getting his assignments done on time. Suddenly they were all standing around Levi’s birthday cake with the words _Happy 13 th Birthday, Levi_ written on it in Eren’s terrible scrawl. He’d been adamant about making the cake himself and it ended up as a big pile of spongey, undercooked cake and bright green icing with some candles thrown on top. Even so, Levi smiled and blew them out and thanked Eren for all his efforts.

Just as always, Levi didn’t want a birthday party. He didn’t want his friends to visit or to have a real gathering of any kind. Eren’s parents, Kuchel, Hannes, and Eren were the only ones allowed to celebrate with Levi. Eren really didn’t mind, though. If that’s what Levi wanted, that was fine by him.

“You’re so _old_ ,” Eren teased as they laid out in the snow, staring up at the stars. For some reason, that’s what Levi wished for. He just wanted to lay and stare up at the night sky. Without any lights on, the stars could be seen easily and they twinkled down. A light dusting of snow was blowing overtop of them and flaking down from the sky. Eren’s face hurt from the chill but he didn’t say anything about it. He’d rather stay there instead of rushing back inside.

“I’m not _that_ old,” Levi insisted. “Only four years older than you. Soon to be three come March.”

“That’s really old, Levi,” Eren snorted with laughter. He rolled over and slapped on a pile of snow to Levi’s chin. “Look, now you’ve got a white beard since you’re so old.” Levi dusted the snow off his face and red scarf before tossing a little snowball at Eren’s face. Eren whined at the impact and pouted, “What was that for?”

“Now we’re even!” Levi explained with a smile.

“We are _not_. That was _way_ more snow than I threw at you,” he cried out with a scowl. Levi was seriously being so unfair.

“I don’t think so.”

Eren growled a little with frustration and started packing some snow into another ball so he could throw it at Levi. The moment Levi caught him doing it, he rolled onto his feet and started running for cover behind the big tree separating their yards. “Levi!” Eren yelled out, rushing after him with a gob of snow in his hand ready to lob it over.

Levi poked out from behind the tree and tossed a huge ball of snow Eren’s way. Like some kind of super hero, Eren fell to the ground and rolled dramatically out of the way to avoid it. He zipped behind the tree and crashed into Levi, getting the snow right into the other boy’s face. They crashed together on impact and fell to the ground. When Levi rolled over to free them both, Eren saw it as an opportunity to get him even better and yanked him right back down until they were both rolling in the tundra. Something about it felt oddly familiar but he was having too much fun to think about it. He was laughing his head off while tumbling across the yard at night.

By the time they’d finally stopped, Eren was out of breath. His chest was heaving for more air but he kept laughing anyway until the point his chest started to hurt. He looked over to Levi, wondering if he was having just as much fun. Eren learned that even though Levi wasn’t as vocal and didn’t laugh as much, he could tell if his friend was having fun by the little smile on his face. He squinted to try and find it, but only saw something entirely different painted across Levi’s face. He was breathing hard and clutching onto his chest just like Eren but he wasn’t smiling at all. Levi looked scared.

“Levi?” Eren sat up and reached out to touch his arm. Levi looked at him with wide eyes and grabbed onto Eren’s wrist with an almost painful force. “Levi, that sort of hurts,” he complained, starting to pull away.

“No,” Levi sat up too and pulled Eren into a tight hug. Eren didn’t mind hugs at all, especially the rare ones from Levi, but it was all a little strange. Why would Levi say ‘no’?

“Are you cold or somethin’?” Eren mumbled into Levi’s coat. “Let’s go inside.”

“No, it’s hot…” Levi finally said something understandable.

“Okay, then we’ll stay out here,” Eren started to push himself away so they could play again. Snow was getting into his socks and melting uncomfortably. He guessed Kuchel would make them some hot cocoa too and he didn’t want to miss out on the warm treat.

He pulled away just enough to get a good look at Levi. With only the moon and stars for lighting, it wasn’t the easiest to make out every little feature. Eren tried anyway because for some reason, he knew it was important. Levi’s pupils were huge and black like the night sky and Eren half-expected to see little snowflakes falling against the darkness. Levi was sweating and his cheeks were reddened. If anything, he looked sick. Somewhere in their rough-housing, he got a scrape on his forehead and it was bleeding red onto the white snow.

“Come on, let’s go inside,” Eren urged again, “You’ve got a cold or something. And your forehead is hurt.”

Levi didn’t budge.

Eren tried again, whining a little more, “ _Levi_. Come. I want to go inside. You need a bandage or something.”

He must have said the magic words because Levi was finally getting up alongside Eren and trudging back indoors beside him. Eren realized they must have worried their parents because the second they all walked in, everyone was gasping and staring.

“We fell and Levi hurt his forehead. And he’s sick, I think,” Eren shrugged, unable to shake off Levi’s grip from his wrist. “I think we need some hot cocoa to heal him, right, Levi?”

For once, Levi didn’t back him up right away. He glared at the others and yanked Eren behind him, growling like some kind of angry dog and baring his teeth. Was he trying to be scary or something? If so, he missed Halloween by a long shot.

The room didn’t smell like Kuchel’s cooking anymore but rather a weird, sour scent that stung Eren’s nose. He didn’t like it at all and covered his face up with his coat sleeve to escape it. It wasn’t disgusting like when someone ripped a fart in class, it was like sniffing rotten oranges or something. Eren wanted to laugh when he realized it was coming from Levi. Did his friend forget to shower or something?

He huffed when no one was saying or doing anything and started climbing his way up Levi’s shoulders to get a better view. Whenever he tried to walk out from behind Levi, he was just pulled back. He figured he’d be clever in trying to go over his friend rather than around. Luckily, Levi let him and even held onto his legs for support until Eren was piggybacking the older. Eren pointed to Levi’s forehead and exclaimed, “Look! We’ve got to get him a bandage. Come on, guys! Cocoa and bandages, chop-chop!”

“Levi, how about you put Eren down for just a moment?” Hannes finally said something, keeping his voice low and soft.

“No, this is _fun_!” Eren waved Hannes off. “Why are you guys acting so weird?” He rested his chin on the top of Levi’s head and groaned when that scent assaulted his nostrils again. It really _was_ coming from Levi. “And why are _you_ so stinky?” he poked at Levi’s ears. “Put me down, put me down,” he patted on Levi’s shoulder until he was safely set back on the ground. The little bit of distance helped his nose stop burning, but everyone was still acting silent and strange. It was getting worrisome and starting to remind him of whenever Levi tell him to do something and Eren couldn’t help but follow through. But Levi wasn’t saying much at all and he did whatever Eren told him to. He was sweating a lot, maybe he was nervous too?

“Levi, you’re at the beginning of presenting. We’ve got to get you in bed right away, okay?” Kuchel finally spoke. Presenting? What the heck was that?

“You’ve got to go to bed?” Eren looked up to Levi and cocked his head to the side. His parents always made him to go bed when he was sick too, so it made sense. Besides, it was getting late and even though Eren just wanted to keep playing with Levi he knew the day would have to end eventually. “You to go bed, then. Happy birthday!” Eren gave Levi one last hug, one where he used all his strength in hope that it’d make him feel even the tiniest bit better. Levi hugged him back before slowly letting him go and heading down the hallway to his bedroom. His mom rushed after him and Hannes was chatting with his parents about something Eren couldn’t quite hear. He didn’t care to listen, for he was too tired anyway. All he wanted to do was get some hot cocoa, warm up, and rush to his bedroom window to wish Levi a goodnight with his whiteboard.

* * *

Why was it so blindingly hot? His skin was drenched in foul-scented sweat and his nose was burning from the potency. Everything he saw was blurred except Eren, the only clear thing in his vision. It was the only thing he could focus on, the only thing he could hear. Eren’s voice guided him through the motions. _I want to go inside,_ he said, so he led Eren inside. _Put me down,_ Eren asked, so Levi put him down. _You go to bed, then,_ he instructed, so Levi went to bed. The only issue was that Eren was back home and Levi was left alone without his guardian angel to lead him through the strange haze.

His mom was there, but it was hard to take in exactly what she was doing. She kept fiddling around with some sprays and plugging things into the free outlets. Levi sat on top of his bed, rocking himself through the intense pangs of hotness. His mom kept her distance, which he appreciated. Her usual, calming scent wasn’t so comforting anymore.

“Okay, Levi, I’m going to bring in some water. Stay here, don’t move a bit,” she hurried out of the room, saying some other things that he didn’t bother to listen to. Instead, Levi’s eyes were pinned on the window. Eren’s whiteboard was stuck up against the window with a drawing of them together, holding hands and the words _happy birthday! Night night!_

Those green eyes were filling up every available inch of his mental cavity and consuming him whole. Eren meant safety, comfort, happiness, and heaven. Just the thought of him cooled Levi down enough to get himself to lay down. When his mom came back with some ice-cold bottles of water he lashed out just to drain one down. It felt like lava down his throat which reminded him of the time they set up couch cushions in the living room and hopped all over them pretending the floor was lava. The memory was more refreshing than the water.

He didn’t remember his mom leaving, but suddenly she was gone from the room and he was alone. The privacy got new thoughts running through his mind. A strange heat pooling in his gut compelled his hand downward and his hips upward. There was nothing on his mind other than the heat, the need, and the brutal pummeling of the sensations around him.

* * *

“I-I wasn’t expecting it at all,” Kuchel was babbling, trying to get herself together. She did her best to install the scent-masking materials she’d bought on a whim because they were on sale around the doors and windows. She plugged in the oil diffusers that would help neutralize the scents. She deposited as many water bottles as she could for him and was rushing around the room trying to think of anything else her son would possibly need.

“He’s still pretty young…” Hannes agreed, “I would have expected him to present around late thirteen or fourteen. Not barely thirteen.”

“He’s always been old for his age…” she bit her nails and stared at the blanket Levi and Eren always shared in wonder. It seemed Eren was able to calm him down enough during the beginning of his heat, perhaps the scent would help? Or was that crazy? “Do you remember anything from when you presented? What helped you through it?”

“Mine lasted a few days. I, uh, had a lot of magazines to get me by…” Hannes rubbed the back of his neck as if he were embarrassed.

“You read during presenting? Really? I could hardly concentrate when I went through mine. I really don’t remember much of it at all, to be honest.”

“Not those kinds of magazines,” Hannes coughed out.

_Oh._

Kuchel wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry. It was true presenting meant reaching full maturity, but wasn’t Levi too young for that? He was supposed to be her baby still, not some grown-up Alpha with a dirty mind and a hand down his pants. It wasn’t like he didn’t _experiment_ when he was much younger but for some reason it just didn’t seem right. Then again, it probably never would.

“I’ll go check on him again, maybe try to get him to take some medicine for the pain,” she decided, unsure of what else to do. She grabbed a bottle of pills and headed straight in without even knocking. Hannes came running after her telling her to stop but it was too late.

She shut the door as quietly as she could but couldn’t wipe the look of pure shock off her face. She’d just walked in on her son masturbating. She’d just seen something she couldn’t un-see. With a hot, red face she handed the painkillers to Hannes and excused herself to the living room. At least she wasn’t alone in the fact that Hannes was right there too, but she couldn’t handle the intense Alpha scents around her and the fact that her baby was no longer a baby.

An hour later, Hannes joined her on the couch. Apparently, Levi stopped the moment he was walked in on and was able to get some medicine down with Hannes’ help. It calmed him down enough to get some sleep.

“Wow,” Hannes finally broke the awkward silence. “Those pheromones are insane. I could hardly stand it in there. I’m surprised you stuck it out for so long.”

She pointed to the candle she’d lit on the coffee table, one designed to break through and cover any scent. “Thanks to this bad boy, I did.” She let her head fall onto his shoulder out of exhaustion and stared down at the carpet. “I have no idea how I’m going to help him through this.”

“Well, you won’t have to do it alone. We’ll get through it together,” he assured.

“It’s really late, shouldn’t you be getting some sleep?” she realized just how late, or rather early in the morning, it was and her heart jumped with panic. In all her worrying about Levi, she hardly gave any thought to Hannes. “You’re free to stay here, I’ll get out an air mattress or… or…”

“Stop your worrying,” he set a hand on the top of her head and laughed, “I’ve got a night shift tomorrow so my morning is free. I think if anyone needs some sleep, it’s you. I’ll stay here in case Levi needs something and you get some sleep.”

As guilty as she felt for the help, she desperately needed it as well as some sleep. She pulled away to give him the warmest of smiles and tried to sound as sincere as she felt, “Thank you, Hannes.”

There was no telling how intense Levi’s presentation would be or how long it would last and that was terrifying enough. Hannes’ reassuring smile and warm heart, however, left her feeling that she and Levi were finally in safe hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everybody! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! For some clarification, I will be stating the boys' ages in the beginning notes. (Sorry if I forget to at first, I'll try to be consistent!) I received another question I thought would be worth explaining for everyone as well: while we know Levi is an Alpha based off his scent and heredity, he still goes through a presentation. I'm treating 'presentation' as sort of a forthcoming of secondary genders here. Sorry if I've been unclear! Definitely feel free to ask if there is anything else I should elaborate more on!
> 
> Thank you all for enduring some time skips with me as we get to the good stuff ^^
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Sorry I fucked up last time on these -- whoops! To be honest, the exact ages don't really matter for the plot of the story, so I apologize if it has been distracting! I just wanted to make sure those who were wondering had their questions answered!) For reference, we're still in the midst of Levi presenting and Eren is quite troubled by the fact.  
> Levi: 13  
> Eren: 9

It had been a week since Eren got to see Levi. He was sulking but covered it up by saying he’d gotten a really bad stomach ache. It wasn’t enough to convince his parents to let him stay home from school, but it did get them to stop asking if he was just afraid for his best friend. Most of the time, he cooped himself up in his bedroom staring blankly out his bedroom window, waiting for some kind of movement from Levi’s room. Apparently, he was presenting and Eren got a much-too graphic description of what that really meant. He couldn’t remember being as embarrassed in front of his parents as he had when they taught him what it all meant.

While he’d always known Levi was an Alpha, apparently that part of him was still trapped inside. Now it was, as his parents said, becoming an active part of his body instead of a dormant one. Eren had seen things on television about presenting or sometimes it happened to people in the movies. He never realized it was so… strange.

Levi hadn’t acted normal at all around him and he smelled awful. After that night, he wasn’t even allowed to go inside Levi’s house or even give him a ‘get well soon’ card. His mom told him that Levi was in a lot of pain and wouldn’t be able to read it anyway. Eren made thirty-seven out of spite, ready to hand them over the second he could. He also made sure to prop up his whiteboard against his window and write different messages every day. It probably sucked to be sick for so long and it was the least he could do.

Levi’s mom stayed home too and Hannes was there a lot as well. Why could they see Levi and he couldn’t? It didn’t seem fair at all. And with Kuchel staying home, it meant that Eren’s mom drove him to school and picked him up at the end of the day. It meant he couldn’t see Levi at all during recess or lunch. It meant for a very long series of lonely days.

He went to Armin’s house in hopes to brighten his lonely Saturday and the two of them had spent a few hours playing the same video game, chatting about nothing in particular. Armin’s house was warm and welcoming. His parents went out of their way to make snacks for them to eat and even brought them to Armin’s room for them. The two could hang out by themselves without being disturbed, though once and a while Armin’s cat would sit and purr in Eren’s lap (which he didn’t mind at all). It was all extremely calming and got his mind off of fretting over Levi. That is, until Armin brought him up.

“Levi’s presenting now, right?” he asked, not taking his eyes off the television screen. Armin already knew he was, their whole group of friends did. It had been a hot gossip topic around their school for a while. Apparently, Levi was really young to be presenting but most people weren’t surprised at all.

“Yeah, he is,” Eren tried to sound nonchalant about it. “Why do you want to know?”

“Think he’s going to go all super-Alpha on us now? Or if he’ll start looking for a mate?”

“What do you mean?”

“Y’know, that’s what Alphas do. They lead other people, pick out their mates, and scent-mark stuff. He’s a really strong one too, isn’t he?”

“Why do you care?” Eren mumbled, attempting to catch up in the game when he realized Armin had completely side-tracked him. It was all really stupid, wasn’t it? Levi was Levi and always would be. He wasn’t going to change, was he? The thought freaked him out enough to implore, “Do you think he’d really act different after presenting?”

Armin shrugged, “Dunno. That’s what I was asking you. You guys are close, I thought you’d know.”

“I haven’t seen him since his birthday…”

“He’s missed a bunch of school too, hasn’t he? At this rate, he’ll have to re-do the grade. That would suck.”

“Seriously? You think he’d have to repeat the grade?”

“Yeah, my cousin had to when he got really sick once. She didn’t show up to class enough and they made her do it again.”

Eren’s worries for Levi were only piling up by the second. He could hardly focus on the game they were playing and Armin won almost effortlessly. The two took a break from it and threw on a movie instead. They’d both seen it before and didn’t have to pay attention to it much. Mostly, it served as some background noise while they talked.

“How do you know so much about presenting anyway?” Eren had to ask. He’d only heard about it from his parents after the incident with Levi.

Armin shrugged, “I’m on the Internet a lot. You see stuff.”

“Does it hurt?”

“Yeah, a lot.”

Eren took a big gulp of sympathy for Levi and fiddled with his fingers nervously. “What happens, really, anyway?”

“It’s different for everybody, I think. Some people have it really easy and for others it really sucks. For Betas, it’s like getting sick, I think. But Alphas and Omegas…”

“Yeah?” Eren spurred him on, surprised Armin could talk so casually about the topic.

“They get really horny,” Armin laughed. Eren gaped at him. “I think your body hurts really bad ‘cause you’re so horny.”

“Geez, Armin,” Eren slapped him on the shoulder. It wasn’t hard, more just a little punishment for sticking that nasty idea in Eren’s mind. He was well aware of sex and knew full well that he definitely did not want to think about it whatsoever. After stumbling upon a late-night show that he was definitely not supposed to be watching, he had tried to bleach his brain of the memory. “That’s disgusting.”

“It’s true!” Armin held his hands up in surrender. “I don’t get what the big fuss is over it all. It’s just the human body. It’s sort of like science class when we learned about bones and muscles and stuff.”

“It’s gross,” Eren whined. He did _not_ want to think about Levi in that situation and tried to shove it out of the farthest reaches of his mind. “I just want it to be over with. My mom won’t even let me go anywhere near his house anymore. It’s annoying.”

“Probably because he smells so much,” Armin shrugged. “We’ll all have to go through it sooner or later. Might as well deal with it.”

Eren grumbled a little reply and returned his attention to the movie. Still, it was hard to focus with all the questions running through his mind. There was so much he didn’t know, but at the same time didn’t want to know. It was frustrating to say the least. Instead of embarrassing himself in front of Armin with more questions, he changed the topic entirely. “That horse sort of looks like Jean,” he snorted and pointed out a brown stallion running away from a cowboy.

Armin joined him in laughter, “Man, you two are at each other’s throats.”

“He always starts it!”

“Oh, whatever. You egg him on.”

“I do not!”

“Do too. Seriously, you’re going to get hurt fighting him one of these days.”

“It’s not a serious fight. It’s not like fighting with those kids who keep teasing you.”

Armin’s face flushed and he groaned, “They’re not teasing me.”

“They are too!”

“It’s not like you have to come to my rescue every time they say something mean. I’m fine.”

“It’s not okay!” Eren stood firm in his opinion like he always did. He hated it when Armin tried to defend him or get him and Mikasa to stop chasing them off. Armin didn’t deserve that sort of treatment.

“Whatever,” Armin shook him off. Apparently, Eren wasn’t the only one who had things he didn’t want to talk about. “They usually stay away when we hang out with Erwin and Hange and Levi anyway. Mike and Nanaba too. So, it’s not that big of a deal.”

Eren made some kind of sound of acknowledgement and allowed them to chat about the movie instead. Armin always got uncomfortable talking about the bullies and refused to let any of them say anything to the teachers. Eren knew he could handle it better than any adult anyway, though he usually just ended up in trouble. As much as he said they deserved it, no one really believed them. He gave Armin a little punch on the arm and Armin punched him right back, it was enough to lighten the mood and get both their minds off of their own worries.

Their hoard of veggie chips and peanut butter crackers were running thin by the end of it and they were both exhausted from an entire day of doing nothing. Armin’s parents were nice enough to let Eren stay over for dinner. While Eren was usually secretly nervous going to other people’s houses without Levi around, Armin’s family made him feel right at home. Not to mention they made a delicious meal. Apparently, his pregnant mother was craving fried chicken that night. Lucky for Eren, that was one of his newest favorite foods.

When Armin’s parents dropped him off at home for the day, Eren hesitated at his doorstep before waltzing in like he always did. He sniffed at the air a few times, wondering what exactly Armin meant by how Levi smelled. Eren knew Levi had some sort of scent always on him, but he figured that was just the scent of his house. It was before he realized everyone carried around individual scents that he’d noticed it. Now, he was curious. What exactly was that scent he’d found comfort in for years? In his mind, it was always labeled clearly as Levi. But did it resemble anything else? All he could smell were those rotten oranges he’d sniffed on Levi’s shirt when he’d just started presenting. He figured they’d gotten left in the trash or something and carried on without another thought.

That night, he kept absentmindedly staring out his bedroom window before giving up entirely. Levi would finish when he finished and Eren simply couldn’t do anything about it. For once, Eren would have to learn how to be patient.

* * *

Levi mumbled out every single curse word he knew. He had quite the vocabulary thanks to his uncle. Everything was irritating and hot and sticky. He was tired but couldn’t sleep. He was thirsty but couldn’t find the strength to open another bottle of water. His stomach growled but everything his mom brought him didn’t sound satisfying enough. His entire body cried out with every need in the book, though nothing would quench those hidden desires. It was cruel, really.

He bundled up in an old quilt his mom brought him. When surrounding himself in it, he finally felt somewhat comfortable. It didn’t make any sense, though. He was hot and sweating profusely, so why would an old blanket make him feel any better? It smelled nice and clean, though held hints of a scent that made his mouth water. He couldn’t pinpoint it, but whatever it was it was good and had that ache in his chest relaxing.

After a few days of endless torture, he’d built up a routine. He went into a nocturnal sleep schedule where he could nap during the day but was restless at night. While he was sleeping in the afternoon, his mom would always bring in some more water bottles, towels, and different kinds of food. She’d clean out sweaty blankets and replace them with new ones and take away any leftover plates or cups. By the time he’d wake up, everything was clean and tidy again. She even managed to somehow change his sheets a few times, which he was surprisingly grateful for. There was nothing more uncomfortable than sleeping in soiled sheets.

He found a few distractions, most of which he didn’t want to even think about but somehow couldn’t stop himself from it. Sometimes his mind would get so hazy, his body would work on its own. Other times, he was alert enough to get out his laptop and head to those sites he knew he was _definitely_ not allowed to go to.

It all made him feel rather pathetic, but he simply couldn’t help it. He remembered his mom preaching to him about how it was okay to explore his own body and romantic interests. He painfully thought back to how she always told him about how it was okay if he preferred boys or girls or Alphas, Betas, or Omegas. Something about the word ‘explore’ made him cringe. Something about hearing those things come out of his mom’s mouth made him cringe even more. If the pain of presenting didn’t kill him first, his embarrassment would.

He just wanted it all to end. When he’d gain a little more control over his mind, he’d stare up at the ceiling and daydream about what his friends were up to. Erwin was probably living up to his standard as the best boy in class, acing tests and being the best at nearly all extracurricular activities. Hange would be tagging along, probably. She’d gotten rather interested in the after-school science club and Levi remembered she was boasting about dissecting a frog. Mike and Nanaba were probably spending a lot of their time in the library to prepare for upcoming tests. Those two were usually found together, much like Levi and Eren were.

And then Eren appeared in his thoughts again. Levi groaned when he thought about how distraught Eren probably was. It felt like they’d just gotten back into a comfortable friendship and now Levi was being quarantined in his house. A fire in Levi’s gut lit up when he thought about another possibility. What if Eren didn’t miss him at all? What if he barely noticed Levi was gone? He sat up in bed and stared at nothing in particular, his mind too busy racing around the idea that his absence meant nothing to his friend.

What did it matter, though? Eren had other friends too. He was probably spending more time with them as well, which was a good thing. Right? He always had an issue with kids his own age, always picking fights and getting into trouble. Mikasa and Armin stuck to him like glue most days because they could see past the rough exterior Eren put up. Hell, he even seemed to strike up a weird sort of friendship with that Jean-person while Levi wasn’t around.

He was growling in frustration over nothing and his body felt hot again. From outside his door, he could hear Hannes returning to their house from work. He’d been staying around a lot and his scent was flowing freely through their house. It was a rather pleasant scent of fresh, summer grass that collided well with his mother’s thick, rose-like scent. Both of them made him feel a little safer, a little less on-edge.

But there was something new mixed in with it all. Levi crawled out of bed and over to the door, pressing his forehead up against the cool wood. For once, his clothes weren’t soaking in sweat and he was clear-minded enough to test out his new and heightened senses.

The scent of another Alpha was wafting in, an Alpha Levi didn’t recognize. In a fit of pure impulse, he threw himself out of his bedroom and down the hall. He ran as fast as he could toward the scent and was snarling all the way. “ _Get out of my house,_ ” he was nearly screaming as he approached the front door.

It wasn’t okay, whatever it was. His mother was good and Hannes was fine too, but a stranger was _not okay._ He remembered Rod and his unpleasant scent intruding on his and his mother’s den. He remembered the hurt and pain he caused. He remembered that potent, aggressive scent that both enraged him and made him feel so fucking small.

He stopped running when he saw that no one was there except for the three of them. His mom was already cooing to him in a soft voice, “Levi, honey, it’s okay. It’s fine. It’s just us. It’s just you, myself, and Hannes.”

“I must have not gotten all of my co-workers’ scents off me. I better shower,” Hannes made a quick run to the bathroom.

Levi let his mom hug onto him and rock him back and forth slowly, all the while delivering soft reassurances and promises that they were okay, safe, and happy. When he’d finally calmed down a little, Hannes was done with the shower and finally smelled like himself again. He apologized again and again, but Levi was the one who felt foolish. It was a complete over-reaction that he normally wouldn’t have acted upon. The stress of it all made him want to break down. Why couldn’t it all just end?

His mom took him back to his bedroom and Levi curled back up on his bed under that quilt. It felt like a safe space, somewhere he could at least try to relax. His nerves were constantly in a frenzy and his heart wouldn’t stop beating fast. Everything made him feel aggressive, angry, and irritated. All he wanted to do was find just a few minutes of peace.

He took a chance and pulled back his curtain an inch, just enough to sneak a peek of Eren’s bedroom window. His whiteboard was propped up against the glass. _Feel better soon, Levi,_ was written on it. Eren even drew a few cute little happy faces for encouragement. It didn’t stop his veins from feeling like they were in fire or his head from throbbing, but it did make him smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I apologize for all the confusion with their ages. I've got a whole spreadsheet for it set up now so I am organized as heck. Thank you all for putting up with me and for reading!
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi: 13-15  
> Eren: 10-12

Three grueling weeks later, Levi finally felt well enough to sit at the breakfast table with his mom and eat something decent for a change. His mind was a jumble of senses, scents, and emotions spiraling in a confusing and depressing mess.

“Just a few more days, Levi. I think you’ll feel much better when you get used to your new senses,” his mom kept trying to comfort him with the same kinds of phrases. It was a similar assurance every day. _Tomorrow,_ she’d tell him. _Tomorrow you’ll feel better._ Leaving the house didn’t appeal to him at all, though. His home felt safe and he recognized all the scents. The one time he tried to go outside, he barely made it a few steps before facing an onslaught of scents that he couldn’t separate or distinguish. It all hit him like a bus and had him stumbling back in to safety. His nostrils burned and his head throbbed for the rest of the day.

“It takes a lot of getting used to for some people,” she tried to make him feel better again. “And you’ve always been rather sensitive to scents. I’m sure tomorrow will be better.”

Levi let his forehead rest against the table, completely defeated. It was humiliating missing so much school over presenting. Even after his body finally felt normal again, his nose wasn’t cooperating. The potent scent of sweet oranges followed him everywhere and he unconsciously tried to out-scent every room of the house, filling it with his own. He didn’t mean to do it, it just happened.

Not only was his scent out of control, he constantly felt on edge. The only time he ever got any relief was when he could distract himself writing whiteboard messages with Eren. It got his mind off of his hazy mind for once and helped him forget about the pain.

“Perhaps we should take about taking you to a hospital…” she suggested again.

Levi shook his head. There was no way he was leaving the house.

“Do you think you’d be okay if I asked Grisha to come over? He doesn’t specialize in secondary genders, but he might be able to confirm that you’re okay. I’m getting a little worried…”

Levi was between a rock and a hard place. He didn’t like the idea of another Alpha invading their home. On the other hand, there was the possibility he’d finally get to see Eren again. “Okay,” he finally agreed. “If Eren comes too.”

“Levi, I’m not sure…” Kuchel was already shooting the idea down.

“I won’t do anything weird,” he promised her, his voice level with sincerity. “I’m just bored.” He really was, too. The first wave of pain sucked ass, but the second wave of mind-melting boredom and sensitivities was almost worse. “I’d go to school if I could. The scents are just… too much. But if Eren’s around, it probably won’t be as bad.”

“How do you know that, Levi?” she seemed more curious than concerned or doubtful.

Levi just shrugged. It was something he just knew and didn’t have to think too much about. At the beginning of presenting when everything else was hazy and he felt weak, Eren’s voice sounded just as loud and soothing as ever. When Levi felt afraid and lost, Eren was just as cheerful as always. He might have been an annoying little brat, but he would always be Levi’s best friend. That also meant that Levi wouldn’t dream of doing anything to hurt him either.

“Well… okay. We’ll give it a try. I’ll call Carla,” Kuchel decided with a smile.

For the rest of the day, Levi wasn’t so miserable anymore. He helped his mom tidy up the house and only had to take a few breaks in between to take some deep breaths or take a quick shower to wash off the excessive oils dripping from his scent glands. The cleaning helped him feel a little better and refreshed. He dutifully took the suppressants his mother got him, stronger ones than he’d been taking before. IT seemed to help with the heavy scents around him and kept his skin from secreting more oils. After all that was done, he just had to go through the hardest part: waiting.

* * *

Grisha was happy Kuchel had called him. After so much time out of school, he was starting to worry about Levi too. Eren wouldn’t stop talking about him and asking about him. Their entire family was just waiting for the day he felt well enough to leave the house again.

Presenting for Alphas was an intense experience, Grisha knew. For kids, presenting was a completely unique experience for everyone. He knew of some people who weren’t cognitive through the entire experience while others still shuddered from the complex body transformation and the hormones that went with it.

Much like primary genders, secondary genders were also on a spectrum, though schools didn’t often teach it that way. There were extremely strong Alphas but also some that are more of a Beta. The same went for Omegas, some were quite intensely Omegan while others were perhaps less so. It was why some scents were stronger than others, some more easily dominating or some people didn’t have any scent at all. Grisha, for example, made an excellent doctor due to his mild scent that was easily covered up with suppressants.

In Levi’s rare case, he was at the far Alpha side of the spectrum and Grisha guessed he was having a hard time going through it. He’d have to figure out how to rein in his own scent, control his aggressive urges, relinquish his territorial nature, and remember not to scent mark everything and everyone in his path. He’d have to learn how to handle the other scents around him and know that they weren’t scents of challenge or aggression. With what he’d been through in his youth, Grisha knew it’d take a long time. Levi had already been reacting to Rod’s Alpha challenges before presenting and now he was finally fully aware of the world of scents around him. It would be quite the mental battle, but Levi was a tough kid. He’d get through it.

When Kuchel mentioned bringing Eren along, they were both apprehensive at first. Presenting meant sexual maturity and with Levi just finishing, they weren’t sure if he could control himself around Eren.

They weren’t worried about Eren making a mistake. He hadn’t presented yet and was still complaining that their whole block smelled of rotten oranges. Any immature child in proximity to Levi would have said the same thing. The scent was meant to lure in a sexually active mate who could reproduce, not a child. He guessed Kuchel was suffering through the potent scent as well, being Levi’s family member. Biology was fascinating like that, Levi’s body knowing exactly what sort of scent would please a compatible partner that would give him the best chances at a healthy child.

They were worried about Levi. The kid wasn’t impulsive like Eren or violent at all. Levi had never done anything to make anyone question his actions or behavior. Still, the pushes and pulls of instinct weren’t anything to throw to the wind.

So, they’d decided to try it. Just a little bit.

When Eren found out he’d get to _finally_ visit Levi, he was bouncing off the walls. He was throwing toys and books and games into his backpack while throwing his homework out. He’d most likely forgotten about it by then, more focused on finally reuniting with his friend again. The drab, emotionless, drowsy Eren Grisha had been observing for weeks had vanished and he felt like he’d finally gotten his son back.

Carla was pleased as well, giggling her ass off at his excitement. She and Kuchel had it in their minds that the two boys were _destined_ to be together or something. Grisha had never believed in soulmates or anything like that, he was a factual man after all, but he did know the two were close and had a very dear friendship. He was just happy Eren found a friend he could really connect with, a friend that could keep him out of trouble and make him happy all at the same time. Levi was a respectable kid and they were lucky to have him in their lives.

“Let’s go, let’s _go_ ,” Eren moaned with impatience, yanking on his pant leg to get him moving. They took the quick walk next door and Grisha was surprised at how the citrus scent seemed to clear from the air and everything felt new again. It gave him hope that Levi was feeling better.

As always, Eren didn’t knock. He flung the front door open and yelled at the top of his lungs, his voice gravelling under the force he put behind it, “Levi!”

It didn’t take two seconds for the older boy to come running to the front door to pull Eren into a hug. For a couple of boys, they weren’t averse to hugs, that was for sure. Grisha laughed and found it endearing, proceeding to greet Kuchel and discuss Levi’s symptoms and behaviors. All the while, Eren was blabbering his head off about everything that Levi had missed at school.

It wasn’t until he was half-way through a story when Eren blurted out, “Wow! Levi! You smell like shit!”

All eyes were drawn to Eren as he carried on as if he _hadn’t_ just spoken a naughty word. Levi was snorting with laughter. Grisha cleared his throat to get his attention. Only then, Eren seemed to realize what he’d done. Even so, he didn’t look all that guilty either.

“Eren, where did you learn that word?” Grisha asked, trying to stay firm when all he really wanted to do was laugh at Eren’s audacity to insult his friend like that.

“Jean,” Eren shrugged.

Levi growled. Kuchel laughed. Grisha slowly shook his head and suppressed a chuckle. “Let’s not use those words anymore, okay?”

“Don’t do what that Jean-kid does,” Levi added. “He’s a bad influence.”

Again, Levi managed to out-parent Grisha and he couldn’t hold in his laughter any longer. Levi really was a mother hen over Eren sometimes and Grisha couldn’t help but be suspicious that Levi was a little jealous of all the time Eren had been spending with Jean.

 

Overall, Levi was going to be fine. Grisha didn’t need to do an in-depth procedure to know for sure. Watching the two of them joke around and laugh had levelled out Levi’s scent and seemed to help him return back to normal. Perhaps all Levi needed was a little laughter to get him feeling better.

* * *

With all the school Levi missed during his presentation, he had to re-take the entire year. He spent the last bit of the school semester in a constant struggle to keep up. With all his friends’ helping and the constant encouragement from his younger pals, he just couldn’t do it. He felt like a total failure and all the adults kept telling him it wasn’t his fault. Still, it was discouraging at best.

However, he had to be happy his presentation was over. It meant he could see his friends again and babysit Eren some more. In Levi’s mind, he didn’t really see it as ‘babysitting’ but that’s what Eren’s parents called it. The year passed by so quickly, it almost shocked Levi that summer came around so fast. Time was vaulting around the track and he could hardly keep up.

Over the summer, Erwin and Hange both presented as well so at least he didn’t feel like the only ‘mature’ person in their little friend group any longer. Hange was an Omega, much to her own displeasure. Erwin, on the other hand, was an Alpha like Levi. Neither of them had to stay at home nearly as long as Levi, which was a little jealous of, but when it was all over they shared something new together which brought them even closer. While they wouldn’t be in the same grade anymore, they would still stay friends for certain.

The new school year brought a new group of friends. As always, they all sort of attached to Levi magnetically without him going out of his way to befriend anyone in particular. It started with Oluo who kept strangely staring at him. All Levi knew about the guy was that he was outspoken and rather egotistical. He was a Beta from what Levi could scent, but seemed to think of himself more as an Alpha.

“I hear you’re a pretty strong Alpha,” he sneered.

“I guess,” Levi calmly replied, not even bothering to look up from the notebook he’d been writing in.

“So, you think you’re better than us or something?”

“I don’t know what gave you that impression.”

Oluo paused for a second and tried to ruffle his feathers again, “You got held back from school, didn’t you? Were you too stupid or something?”

Levi took a deep breath of annoyance and looked up to stare Oluo in the eye. His ‘classic Levi stare’, as Eren called it, could stifle anyone and the loud-mouthed brat standing in front of his desk was no exception. “I’m not sure what’s up your ass, but you should probably pull it out before I get really irritated.”

After that, it was like a flip had switched and Oluo was a completely different person. He got a haircut that next day and stopped speaking over everyone else so much. Another Alpha in their class, Petra, had given him a hard time for ‘copying’ Levi. The two of them started following him around everywhere he went.

A Beta, Gunter, and an Omega, Eld, seemed to find the trio hilarious enough to follow around too. They were in the same sports as Levi and the same study groups as them as well. Eventually, they’d all clustered together in the desks near the back of the classroom and became a posse of their own.

All the while, Levi was still keeping an eye on Eren. He still didn’t like that Jean-kid that Eren kept hanging around for seemingly no reason at all, but he did enjoy that Eren seemed to be better at making new friends and getting along with others. He got into less fights than usual and Levi didn’t have to pick him up from the principal’s office after school like he occasionally had to do.

The day-in-day-out schedule was almost peaceful in a way. School was boring as hell, but Levi didn’t mind it too much. Repeating a grade wasn’t the worst thing in the world either. Everything was blissful and pleasant, but he soon realized it was just the calm of the storm. A halcyon blur of the bores of school, sports teams, clubs, homework, move nights with Eren’s family, and weekend trips with his mom and Hannes. He wished he would have enjoyed it more instead of getting bent out of shape about being pestered about mates, nagged by his mother, and busy with school.

 

Eren’s class had finally gotten into middle school. He gushed about finally being back on the same floor of the building as Levi and couldn’t wait to finally be done with middle school. It was odd to think that Eren was already twelve-years-old. Then again, Levi was fifteen and had no room to talk. They’d arrived on the first day of school together and a sickeningly familiar pair of blue eyes came rushing up to Eren. Historia Reiss was greeting Eren like an old friend, going on about how she was happy to finally be done with the private elementary school and be in junior high with her friends.

With Historia Reiss came the scent of Rod along with her. Every single memory he had of the bastard came rushing back. Suddenly, they were both looking at him with a confused expression.

“You okay?” Eren asked. He’d gotten oddly good at sensing Levi’s emotion through his scent. Eren hadn’t presented yet, but somehow, he could still get the slightest sensations of his secondary gender running on high and guess his emotions. Levi bet it was just because they knew each other so well and had spent so much time together. Still, it was a little weird.

“Fine,” Levi ruffled his hair. “Have a good first day, kiddo.”

“Don’t call me kiddo!” he called back.

The banter got his mind off of Rod Reiss, but he was still weary. He knew he’d have to tell his mom about the new events transpiring. Rod’s name had been treated as a curse in his household, a word never spoken per a silent agreement between them all. With his daughter attending their school, though, Levi wasn’t so sure he could handle the mere possibility of the bastard getting anywhere close to Eren or the rest of his friends.

In one year, he’d be travelling up one more set of stairs to the high school. In one year, he wouldn’t be able to watch over Eren while the Reiss family got closer and closer to him. Levi didn’t know Historia or personal life whatsoever, so perhaps he was just being overly defensive. Still, that scent haunted him and he wanted Eren to get as far away from it as possible.

“What’s got you all up in a huff?” Petra asked him when he sat down in the back of their new classroom. She could probably taste his growing scent and he had to remind himself to call down. Even with the suppressants, he still had the occasional issues of controlling himself. “Is it Eren?”

“Why do you always ask that?” he muttered.

“It’s Eren.”

Levi rolled his eyes at her and ignored the question all together. What had him all up in a huff? The fact that Rod’s muted scent was on Eren again. But he wouldn’t do anything about it, he couldn’t. He hadn’t scent marked Eren in years and realized how embarrassing the whole ordeal had been when they were younger. Perhaps he’d just scold Eren for being dirty and convince him to wash his hands three times in a row.

He relaxed in his chair, leaning back in it to stare at the ceiling. It was going to be a long, strange year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everybody! This is very much a transition chapter as we get into what I've personally been most excited about this entire time. *Teenage Angst.* I do apologize for the lack of real content here, let's think of this as a set-up for our next arc between these two! Anyway, thanks for reading as always!
> 
> Some of you may have noticed, but I have started up a new blog specifically for fanfiction. It will be used for chapter updates, little notes about them, drabbles, headcanons, scenarios, fic recommendations, bonus pieces, ect. Hopefully it'll be a little more organized and fun too! The link will be here: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And, as always, my personal blog as well: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi: 15  
> Eren: 12

Eren was grasping onto his pencil with so much force, he heard the yellow painted wood crack under his grip. Without realizing it, he’d left a thick line of graphite at the bottom of his homework sheet and figured he’d get penalized for it. That wasn’t his main concern, however. He was staring at Levi.

Levi was ‘babysitting’ again, though neither of them called it that. It had never felt like babysitting until that night anyway. Levi sat at his kitchen table with his new friend beside him as they copied each other’s notes. Apparently, his friend had missed a day of school and needed them. Eren’s mom stupidly suggested that Levi’s friend could just stop on by to get the notes.

Eld was handsome, Eren decided. It was the right word for his pretty blond hair and strangely nice smell. He sat close to Levi until their chairs couldn’t get any closer and smiled a lot. Eld’s handwriting was amazing and he seemed really smart, catching onto the topics without making Levi repeat himself as he explained them. Eren overheard that Eld was an Omega, which meant that he was able to be Levi’s mate if they were compatible enough.

Eren sulked in the living room where Levi had left him sit. He gave Eren a few more math problems to practice on but Eren was too busy eavesdropping and staring to even look at them. He hated the way they laughed together, it was annoying. And why were they both smiling so big? It was creepy, Eren decided. Levi was supposed to be watching _Eren_ , not Eld.

He grabbed his notebook and joined them at the dining table, sitting right beside Levi and slapping his notebook and pencil down in front of him. “I don’t get it,” he complained, shoving the problems in Levi’s direction. Eren knew he probably could have done them all if he tried, but his gut was festering uncomfortably and he needed to figure out what would make it stop. He would never honestly admit it, but didn’t like Levi doting over Eld, so perhaps he’d interject and feel a little better.

Luckily, it got Levi’s attention. He looked down at Eren’s paper to see the aggressive drawings at the bottom of the page and the six problems Levi had written out for him. “Eren, you’re good at math. Just try them and you’ll get them,” he set the page back in front of Eren and stuck the pencil in Eren’s hand. “Now, try.”

With that, he turned his attention back toward Eld to continue explaining some new math formula to him. The two of them were much closer in distance than Eren was to Levi and that made Eren frown.

Had Levi found a new best friend? Was this his way of shutting Eren out? Whatever it was, it hurt Eren’s heart. He scribbled down some random answers in each box and shoved it back to his friend. “There. I’m done.”

Levi sighed and shook his head, “No you aren’t, Eren. You didn’t even try.”

Eren let out a frustrated groan and threw his hands up in the air, “Just… _help me instead of him for once_!”

“Uh, I think I’ve got everything I need from today, Levi. Sounds like you better help Eren with his work too. I’ll see you later though, okay?” Eld laughed nervously and Eren automatically felt embarrassed at his outburst.

“Want me to walk you home?” Levi offered. “It’s dark out there and you’re just a few houses down.”

“Actually…” Eld slowly nodded, “That’d be good.”

Eren was gaping at the two of them.

“Eren, I’ll be right back,” Levi promised as he walked out the door. The moment the front door closed, leaving Eren alone, he let out a growling yell. “What the hell!?”

What were they doing out there? Why did Levi just leave him like that? Eren didn’t want to care so much, but somehow couldn’t stop worrying over the situation. He wasn’t even sure how he’d explain himself when Levi got back. One thing was for sure: he definitely didn’t want to face him.

Eren escaped to his bedroom and shut the door. The room had changed so much over the years but it was still messy as ever. At least, that’s what Eren’s parents and Levi always said. Eren liked how he knew where everything was and didn’t spend much time tidying it up unless he knew his friends would be visiting.

He threw himself onto his bed and draped a blanket over himself to hide from reality. The darkness didn’t change anything or the fact that he was clenching his jaw so hard it hurt. He’d embarrassed himself in front of Levi and his friend, but why? Why was it so awful seeing him close to someone else like that? And why couldn’t he help himself from freaking out a little?

“Eren?” Levi let himself into Eren’s room without knocking, something he’d done a million times before. “What’s going on with you?”

“Nothing,” Eren insistently whined, keeping himself tightly under the blanket.

“Are you pissed off or something?”

“No.”

“Are you upset Eld came over?”

“No.”

“Then what’s your deal?”

Eren felt the dip of his mattress when Levi sat on the side of his bed. “Just go away,” Eren decided to sigh. It was better than having to explain that he didn’t know why he practically yelled at the two of them and chased Eld away.

“Hey,” Levi finally spoke. He sounded almost stern and a little concerned. At least, Eren hoped he sounded concerned and not just disappointed. “When I hang out with Eld, do you feel the same way that I do when you hang out with Historia?”

Levi always acted weird whenever Historia was nearby or when she’d join in at their lunch table. He’d get quiet or sometimes just walk away. They never talked about it out loud before, it was just something both of them knew existed for whatever reason. Eren dug through his deepest memories but couldn’t recall why Levi would ever dislike Historia. He never thought to ask either.

So, it would make sense. He felt the same way about Eld, unable to pinpoint why he was uncomfortable. He just was. “Yeah,” he finally mumbled out. “I guess.”

“It’s not like he’s taking me away from you or anything…” Levi set his hand down on the blanket, on top of Eren’s head. “So, don’t worry about it, okay?”

“Okay…” Eren finally got out. He tossed the blanket aside and followed Levi back out to the kitchen table and started finishing up the problems. He didn’t need Levi’s help to do it, they were all rather easy. Levi snorted, making a little comment about how Eren didn’t need help after all and he threw a little temper tantrum for nothing. Eren just grumbled back, still a little embarrassed.

It was just the start of something brand new, something that Eren found he simply couldn’t stand.

 

“You’re jealous,” Armin stated flatly at their lunch table.

“Am not!” Eren tried to defend himself.

“Are too,” Mikasa countered coolly.

“It’s easy to tell,” Armin pointed out. “You hate it when other people are around him. And you hate it when you’re not with him either. When he sits with his friends over there, all you do is stare at him all through lunch.”

“I do not!” Eren weakly objected once more, though he really couldn’t argue with Armin. The only person who could ever hold up an argument with Armin was Erwin. When the two of them fought over something, it was like a new world war.

“Hey guys!” Historia plopped down next to Eren and snuck a fry off his plate. “What are you talking about?”

“Eren’s jealous,” Armin announced.

“Oh, who’s hitting on Levi this time?” she craned her neck to get a better look at Levi’s table. “He’s got quite a lot of admirers!”

“Don’t remind me,” Eren sulked. The amount of people asking Levi out after school was just annoying. Levi would always tell them he had plans, but what if he didn’t? What if, someday, he actually went out with someone? It’d be frustrating, Eren decided. All his classmates had crushes on the upperclassmen too, so he always got questions about his neighbor from the kids in his grade too. Eventually they learned to just stop asking because Eren would tell them to beat it.

He let his head fall against the lunch table while the others laughed at how hopeless he was. Historia gave him a pat on the back and leaned her head on him in sympathy.

Then a hand came out of nowhere, grabbing a fistful of his hair and pulling him upright. “Don’t put your face on that, it’s filthy,” Levi scolded before giving him a pat on the head and heading off to his own classes.

“Looks like Eren’s not the only jealous one,” Armin muttered to Mikasa. “Someone just needs to smash their faces together and get it over with.”

“That’s gross,” Eren rolled his eyes dramatically. Though he couldn’t deny that being close to Levi gave him a certain tingly feeling that made him feel a little lightheaded.

In an effort to change the subject, he looked around the room with no signs of Ymir. Historia was never on her own without the brute-like woman and Eren had to ask, “Where’s Ymir?”

“Presenting,” Historia shrugged. “I know it’s early. I guess she’s a pretty strong Alpha. I mean, she’s thirteen so I guess it makes sense.”

Ymir was the oldest out of all of them, so Eren couldn’t be so surprised. He wondered how long she’d be out of school or if she’d end up having to repeat a grade like Levi had. He cursed at himself for thinking about Levi again and tried to shake the thought from his mind once more by listening in to his friends’ conversations.

Jean joined up at their lunch table last, having spent most of the period with a group of new friends. He plopped down next to Mikasa and interjected, “You guys are talking about presenting? My older brother said it’s just a week-long blur of jerking off and feeling like you’re going to die.”

“What?” Historia squealed, a faint blush coating her porcelain cheeks.

Jean shrugged, “It’s sexual maturity, of course that’s all you’d want to do.”

And, again, a very graphic of Levi presenting filled Eren’s head and he physically had to shake it out. “That’s disgusting, Jean,” he chided.

“It’s true!” Jean shot right back. “What? You embarrassed or something?”

“No,” Eren quickly muttered.

“I think you’re embarrassed!”

“I’m not, Jean!”

“Jean,” Mikasa put a hand on Jean’s shoulder, immediately putting a stop to the oncoming brawl.

This time, Jean was the one blushing. “It’s only the truth.”

Luckily, with almost everyone at the table utterly embarrassed they could change the topic to an upcoming movie they all wanted to see together. None of them were willing to talk openly about their secret crushes, even when they were explicitly obvious. Historia kept sighing the entire time, looking to her side where Ymir would usually be. Eren’s eyes kept averting toward Levi’s empty table. Jean’s gaze met Mikasa and Eren’s too many times, tempting to pick another fight to rile the pair up but holding back.

It was weird and awkward and something entirely new for their little friend group. And, most likely, it would continue on throughout the rest of their years together.

* * *

Just like all of them, the year sped by for Levi. The first snowfall always held a special place in his heart as he and Eren watched it from the window of his house. Eren was spending the week at Levi’s house while his parents were away for Carla’s heat. It was the same, but different.

The two were no longer allowed to sleep in the same bed anymore, so Eren slept in Levi’s bed while Levi set up camp on the living room sofa. Eren insisted that he could sleep on the couch, but Levi felt better if Eren slept in his bed instead. After all, Eren was the guest and Levi didn’t mind the arrangement whatsoever. Besides that, the two had spent their time watching movies, doing schoolwork, and chatting about the stupidest things like they always had.

“So, are you courting anyone yet?” Eren randomly asked, keeping his eyes glued out the window.

“Courting someone? No. Why?”

“Isn’t that what the older kids are supposed to do?”

Levi _was_ turning sixteen soon and a lot of his classmates were already courting each other. He’d gotten a lot of offers from his peers, but he never felt the urge to court anyone. Between school, watching Eren, and his friends, he really didn’t have time to fawn over someone else like that. He also just assumed most people wanted to court with him just because he was a strong Alpha. Most of the love notes he got were from people he didn’t even know. Why would you date someone you hardly knew anyway? “No,” he finally answered to Eren. “I don’t really want to court anyone.”

“Why not?” Eren asked in a hurry, almost urgently.

Levi shrugged, unable to answer. No one really felt right for him, but how could he put that into words to Eren? “I just don’t want to,” he decided was the best way to say it. But by the look on Eren’s face, it really wasn’t. Why did he look so disappointed?

“That’s dumb,” Eren ended the conversation there. He started on rambling about something that Jean had said earlier that day and Levi could hardly stand to listen. That Jean-kid got on his nerves. And then Eren talked about Historia, which grinded his gears even more. “Ymir’s presenting,” Eren announced. “Still. It’s been like a week now! She’s an Alpha for sure. Sort of like you.”

“Is Ymir the one that hangs around Historia all the time?”

“Yeah, they’re obsessed with each other.”

“I thought Historia was obsessed with _you_.”

“Is she? I don’t think so.”

“She’s always hanging off you like a leaf to a tree.”

“We’re friends. That’s what friends do. She’s really touchy-feely, I guess. She’s always hugging people and stuff.”

Levi couldn’t argue with that and let the topic go. It would only frustrate him more anyway. He could already sense his scent getting a bit sourer. In an unconscious attempt to soothe his clenching heart, he scooted over a little until he was shoulder to shoulder with Eren. Luckily, Eren didn’t say anything about it. He felt really warm against Levi and comforting as always.

“Your birthday is coming up,” Eren mentioned. “What do you want this year? Another year without a party? Just us again?”

“Just us.”

“You’re boring,” Eren joked, snickering in teasing.

“Yep,” Levi happily agreed. “I like it that way.”

“I guess I do too,” Eren chuckled. He leaned his head on Levi’s shoulder and yawned. “When you’re sixteen, are you going to drive me around like a limo driver or something?”

“Sure, as long as you wear your seatbelt and don’t make a mess.”

“No promises.”

Kuchel came out of nowhere and made them both jump in shock when she greeted them, “You two look cozy. How about some tea? Hot cocoa?”

“Yes, please,” Eren broke away from Levi to sit at the table where Kuchel was setting out the mugs. She set out Eren’s favorite one in front of him, the hand-painted one Levi had done when they were little. Levi drew on those little puff-ball bunnies Eren always used to draw alongside some snowflakes. Eren always insisted on using that specific mug whenever he visited, though never explained why.

“It’s getting chilly out there…” Kuchel hummed, fixing their hot drinks at the table. Once she finished up, there was a knock at the door and she perked up. “Oh! That must be Hannes.”

“Hannes is coming over?” Eren was sitting up in his seat too, quite excited to see his family friend. Levi was happy too. Whenever Hannes was over, his mom seemed to be smiling a lot more. Hannes brought along a feeling of security that they’d never had before and always had good jokes.

But when Kuchel opened the door, that familiar smell of summer sun and freshly-cut grass didn’t flow into the room. The scent was dark and sickly sweet like black licorice. Levi was already growling before the guy even said anything.

“Rod,” Kuchel was already shaking her head. “You know you’re not supposed to be here.”

“I know, Kuchel. I just wanted to set things right. Now that our kids go to the same school, we’re bound to see each other and I didn’t want our relationship to prevent me from tending to my daughter. So, how about we have a chat? Maybe over dinner?”

It was a reasonable excuse enough, but Levi was bristling with anger. He stomped over to the front door and put himself between his mother and Rod without even thinking. A sour citrus odor clouded around the trio, speaking the words for him. _Back off._

“Levi, you’ve grown up quite a bit since I’d last seen you. You’re becoming a fine young man,” Rod tried to soothe things over, but it was useless.

“Rod, you’re not welcome here. I’m sorry, but this isn’t appropriate whatsoever,” Kuchel stayed firm, but was still covering up that fading mating mark with her hand as if it were physically hurting her. Levi guessed it really was as Rod was covering up his own as well.

“Please? Just a chat. One cup of coffee’s worth of your time.”

“I said no.”

Rod took another step further and Levi started growling like a fierce guard dog. The noise was inhuman but thick in warning. It was clear Rod needed to leave, but he was too fucking dumb to take the message.

“I won’t leave until you agree,” he stated firmly. “I’m doing this for my daughter’s sake.”

After a long pause, Kuchel set a hand on Levi’s shoulder and gently pushed him aside. “Fine, let me think about it. I’ll call.”

It was enough to get Rod to leave and Levi was appalled. Why the hell would she do that? Why would she allow that slime-bag back into their lives?

He looked back to Eren and realized what he’d done. Eren was shivering in his seat, shaken by the pure aggression coming off his friend. Levi took a step toward him and Eren nearly toppled back in his chair. The anger and fury wasn’t pointed at Eren in any way, but his body was still reacting to the Alpha’s raw emotion.

“Eren, it’s fine. I’m sorry,” Levi tried, taking deep breaths to calm himself down. He still hadn’t mastered controlling his own scents yet and he obviously was a little too much for Eren to handle.

“How about you go take your shower, Levi? Eren and I will finish up our cocoa out here,” his mom suggested.

Through the mixed emotions, Levi showered off the glistening oils from his skin and decided two things during that half hour. One, he would forever hate Rod Reiss and everything connected to him. His manipulation and smooth talking were despicable and Levi would do anything in his power to keep him away from his family. Two, he’d never scare Eren like that ever again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Sorry for the long wait! I'm in the process of purchasing a house and all the paperwork is killing me. I hope your week has been well! Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> Some of you may have noticed, but I have started up a new blog specifically for fanfiction. It will be used for chapter updates, little notes about them, drabbles, headcanons, scenarios, fic recommendations, bonus pieces, ect. Hopefully it'll be a little more organized and fun too! The link will be here: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And, as always, my personal blog as well: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi: 15  
> Eren: 12

Levi’s room was weirdly clean and Eren would have thought about making fun of him for it if it didn’t smell so good. He curled up in Levi’s bed into the fetal position, trying to get as many blankets around him as he could. Eren shoved his nose into the pillow just because it felt like he could breathe better with his face smashed into it. His body was cold and hot all at once, but he didn’t want to let go of those blankets. Someone would have to pry them out of his dead hands to get him to surrender them. If Levi asked for them, _maybe_ Eren would consider it. But besides that, he was staying in his place.

It started to get uncomfortable as sweat dripped down his brow and dampened his skin. He groaned at how gross it felt but still didn’t want to leave his nest of blankets. When it got to be too much, he shed off his shirt and sleeping shorts and exchanged them for some of Levi’s. They were dry, clean, smelled nice, and Eren knew Levi wouldn’t care if he borrowed them. On his trek back to the bed, he grabbed a few handfuls of Levi’s clothes to bring to bed with him just in case he needed to change again. In a sleepy daze, he situated them around himself and finally felt comfortable enough to go back to sleep.

A few hours later, Eren glanced at the clock and realized how early it was. He’d never woken up on his own that early before and scrubbed the sleep out of his eyes to figure out what had woken him up. The moment he sat up in bed, a wooziness came over him and made his head feel light. His stomach felt heavy and full in an almost painful kind of way. A particularly sharp pain had his entire body curling in on itself and it was a feeling Eren had never felt before. In that instant moment of fear, Eren yelped out, “Levi!?”

Levi would know what to do as he always did. Whatever was wrong with Eren, Levi could fix it. The sound of padding feet helped Eren find his breath again, knowing that Levi was on his way.

“Levi?” Kuchel’s tired voice joined in the mix and Eren stood from the bed, ready to rush to the door. “Eren?” she seemed a little more concerned.

“Eren!” Levi exclaimed. A thump at the door told Eren he was right there on the other side. Eren slammed himself into the wooden door and started pawing at the handle, whining when it wouldn’t turn. Levi was _right there_ and ready to save Eren, but they were still so excruciatingly far.

“Levi…” Eren jiggled at the handle some more and his eyes started to water.

A few more thumps at the door along with some growls caught Eren’s attention.

“Levi, _no,_ ” Kuchel hissed. “Eren’s presenting and you need to respect his boundaries.”

Another feral growl came out in response and Eren got impatient. He knocked over Levi’s hamper and buried his nose in the dirty laundry. Eren could imagine Levi scolding him for doing something so gross, but at that point Eren just didn’t care. The clothes didn’t smell bad at all, but rather of potent and intoxicating oranges. He didn’t resist any longer and grabbed every little bit he could find, adding it to the growing mountain on Levi’s bed.

“Eren, honey, just stay calm for me,” Kuchel called out above all the snarling. “And stay put in Levi’s bed. I think those scent blockers are still up from Levi’s presentation… Why does this always happen to me?” She groaned with anxiety and Eren could actually smell a new scent breaking through the oranges, a light flurry of rose petals that hinted at her distress caught Eren off guard. That was Kuchel’s scent, roses, and Eren somehow recognized it. He scrunched up his nose and grumbled before stuffing his face back in Levi’s laundry.

Stupid Levi wasn’t coming to his rescue and Eren was getting more irritated by the fact with every minute. Why wasn’t he bursting in? Why was the door locked? Why wasn’t his mom letting him in?

Her words slowly came back to him as he registered them. _Presenting._

Eren gripped onto the clothes in his hands and his eyes widened when he realized it. Presenting? In Levi’s room?

Out of all the people he could have thought of, Jean came to mind. Not in a good way either. _My older brother said it’s just a week-long blur of jerking off and feeling like you’re going to die._

A flash of fear struck Eren’s gut and he let out an unabashed moan into Levi’s pillow. Out of all the times he could have presented, why did it have to be in Levi’s bedroom? Why couldn’t it have happened later when he could suffer in his own bedroom?

Then again, another part of his mind was dancing with glee. He got to present in _Levi’s bedroom_ surrounded by the most wonderful citrus scent that made his heart flutter.

“Eren?” Kuchel was knocking on the door gently, “Mind if I come in?”

“Y-yeah,” Eren got out, trying to keep himself under control. He was sweating some more and probably looked like a mess. He threw Levi’s pillow into his lap to cover up that growing warmth between his legs.

Kuchel stepped in and closed the door behind her, toting around a whole plastic bag of things. “I’m sure you’re aware that you’re just starting presentation, yes?”

“Yeah,” Eren sighed, blushing the entire time.

“The process is different for everyone, but I wanted to come in here and help prepare for the harder days ahead. I brought new scent blockers to hook up around the windows and doors, that’ll keep all scents out and in. I’ve got plenty of snacks and water here, and don’t worry, I’ll bring in some more food and such throughout the week. And you’re free to use the bathroom just right outside the door here. I know it’s a bit of trouble, but please don’t hesitate to ask for anything.”

“And Levi…?” Eren found himself asking before he could even help himself.

“I’m going to have Levi stay with Hannes while you’re here.”

“You’re sending him away?” Eren gasped.

“Just for a little while!” she tried to calm him down with soft tones. Her scent seemed less offensive to Eren’s nose too. “I can take away some of the clothes and bring fresh linens to help with the scent…”

“ _No!”_ Eren gathered up as much as he could in his hands to pull them close to his chest. “Please don’t.” He figured if he couldn’t have Levi in person, a fact he was still upset about, he could keep his scent with him.

Kuchel hesitated for a moment before nodding and finishing the installation. “I’ve brought a few other things for you, all in this bag.” She set the bag down near the bed where Eren could reach it. “Plus, your cell phone and some other things of yours I thought you might like. I sent Levi over to your house to gather up anything else you might need.”

Eren whined at Levi’s name. Why couldn’t he just stay with Eren for a little bit? Why couldn’t Levi sit with Eren in bed and pet his hair or read to him? Why couldn’t Levi just talk to him in those low, calming tones that made Eren’s skin feel warm and tingly. Why couldn’t he just hold his hand or bury his nose in Levi’s neck?

Suddenly, he noticed a strange wetness beneath him and he rolled over to find it was from him. The realization dawned on him that he _definitely_ wasn’t an Alpha or even a Beta. His determination to become someone just like Levi, strong and powerful, deflated. _I’m an Omega,_ Eren thought as the fact solidified in his mind and heart.

“ _No,_ ” he squeaked out. “No, no, no, no…”

People had made comments about how he might be an Omega or how he smelled sort of sweet like one, but Eren blocked the possibility from his mind as he was so dead-set on becoming an Alpha like Levi.

Omegas didn’t have it easy and he knew it. They spent a week every one to three months (depending on the person) and usually couldn’t get a job. Omegas were meant to stay inside the home and let the Alphas do all the work. They were meant to have children and that was it. Every single one of Eren’s dreams started to swirl down the drain of impossible. Any job he’d ever wanted, any achievement he worked to fulfill- it all meant nothing.

Tears wet his face and he swallowed a few times to try to collect himself. He tried to get used to the idea that his entire life was over and that he’d just gotten pinned to a fate he hadn’t anticipated. And even in his personal despair, he still couldn’t stop thinking about Levi. Would he treat Eren differently after finding out he was an Omega? Would it change their friendship? Would Levi leave him in the dust? Would he think less of Eren?

A little voice in the back of his mind was telling him _no_ , _Levi would never do those things._ But fear was swatting that little voice away and filling Eren’s gut with worries instead.

 

With a little rap on the door, Kuchel was back. She brought in a few tote bags of Eren’s things and set them by the bed. Eren tried to cover his face but she noticed his tears from a mile away. She sat on the side of the bed and started petting his hair like Levi would have. “Eren, honey, I know this is probably a little shocking for you. But it’s okay. Levi brought over some towels and clothes. Lots of other things to keep you occupied as well. It’ll all be over before you know it, and then things will go right back to normal.”

Eren didn’t reply, he knew he wouldn’t have been able to without breaking out into a sob.

“I’ll be close by, all you have to do is holler and I’ll be here,” she assured. “Your parents will be back in a few days. If you feel well enough, we can get you back to your own bedroom before…”

“No,” Eren cut her off and shook his head. If there was anything he knew for sure, it was that he didn’t want to leave the safety Levi’s bedroom. That warm orange scent was the only thing keeping him from completely losing it all together.

“Okay, okay,” she quickly returned with a smile. “You’ll stay right here. I’ll leave you be, but remember I’m just a yell away. And don’t forget about your phone either, you’re free to call your parents if you need to talk to them too. I’ll send Hannes and Levi to get some medication from the pharmacy to help you with the scents and symptoms of presenting too.” She got up to leave and Eren just gave her a little, embarrassed wave.

Eren peeked into the different bags everyone had brought him. Kuchel’s plastic bag had tons of snacks and water. Eren shuffled the items around and nearly died of embarrassment when he spotted some _toys_ still in their packaging amongst the food. He shook his head at them, completely mortified, and pushed the bag aside to go through the things Levi brought.

That fresh citrus scent was still on the bag and Eren held himself back from shoving it in his face. He looked through to find some towels, blankets, and clothes. Levi added in some comic books Eren was currently reading and his handheld gaming system. At the bottom was the night shirt Levi had been wearing and Eren didn’t think twice before grabbing it and cuddling up with it.

He settled into the blankets and ignored the wetness smearing across the sheets. He ignored the heat in his gut and the sweat on his skin. His mind was solely focused on that scent and he squeezed his eyes shut, hoping it would be able to lull him off to sleep.

* * *

Kuchel held back a sigh as she kept an eye on Levi. He had posted up in front of his bedroom door, leaning his back against it and attempting to stay awake. She locked the door from the outside with a key after manhandling him to keep him out. Levi was definitely pissed off at her, but was more concerned about Eren than cursing her out. It almost scared her how wild he looked, she’d never seen him so feral and determined. An Omega’s presentation was nothing to underestimate as their scent called out to any Alpha in the area, which is why she was thanking the heavens for the extra scent blockers she had bought during a buy one get one free sale.

Hannes was on his way and the thought helped her calm down. The last thing she expected was for Eren to present and she almost felt bad for the poor kid. Early presentations weren’t _that_ uncommon. Just like puberty, presentation was different for everyone. Still, she knew just how terrible an Omega’s presentation could be and she hoped she could be some kind of comfort in the haze of it all. She definitely wasn’t Eren’s mother, but she hoped she’d be a suitable stand-in.

Levi reached up and jiggled he door handle again as if the door might have magically unlocked itself in the past two minutes. He looked blankly in front of him and looked like he was concentrating on his breathing. His maturity was constantly making her proud and she wondered how the hell he grew up to be someone so amazing.

Hannes used his key to pop in and assess the situation before giving Kuchel a little hello-hug. “How’s it going?” he whispered.

“Fine,” she nearly melted in his arms, realizing how much stress and tension she had been holding in. “He seems fine.”

“Poor guy,” he looked to the bedroom door with sympathy. “He’s got a personal guard dog, though, so at least we know that no strange Alpha will be pulling any funny business.”

Levi, the guard dog, looked apprehensively at both of them. He knew he’d be staying with Hannes while Eren presented, but he still didn’t move from his spot.

“Are you sure you want us to go? I’m not sure I feel okay with the two of you alone here without an Alpha…” Hannes grimaced as he said it. “I hate putting it that way, I know you’re both perfectly capable on your own. It’s just…”

Rod. Kuchel mentioned that Rod had asked her to meet and it was one of the few times she actually saw Hannes angry. He went on a rant about how modern restraining orders didn’t do shit and were difficult to enforce. He went off on a tangent about how some Alphas just didn’t understand how to behave. And then another about how mating marks made people do crazy things. After that, he seemed to be a little more protective than usual. It was endearing to Kuchel, knowing that she didn’t have to go through it all alone and she thanked him for it every day. They left it off with Hannes telling her that if she wanted to see him, he wouldn’t stop her. He just preferred if it she didn’t or if she’d take Hannes with her during the little meeting.

But, she’d figure all of that out later. In the meantime, she’d have to figure out how the fuck they were going to get Levi out of the house. Something told her they’d have to surgically remove him from the floor, toss a net over him, and drag him out by force.

“Maybe we should all stay here,” Hannes softly suggested. “It might be helpful for Eren to know there are Alphas around to keep him safe. I know some Omegas find it comforting, especially while his parents are away.”

“Would that even work?” Kuchel had to wonder. It all depended on how well Levi could behave himself. The last thing she wanted was some sort of altercation between the two young boys. She knew the instinctual half of Levi’s heart was telling him to go claim his mate while the more rational side kept him pinned in front of that door.

“I know I felt more comfortable keeping my sisters safe when they presented. It was a different sort of pull, but I’m sure Levi might feel the same. Judging by Eren’s scent, I’m feeling like I need to stay myself. There have been cases of Alphas being pulled to an Omega’s scent and bursting in through windows or sneaking into houses just to get to it. I’d feel better if we were here to help ward them away with an Alpha’s scent.”

Kuchel walked a few steps down the hallway and knelt down in front of her son. “Levi, what would you feel more comfortable with?”  
She had no idea what sort of state of mind he was in to give her an honest answer. However, his steady voice and stern expression helped her believe that he was being serious. “I want to stay. I won’t go in there, but I want to stay.”

It was enough to bring them all to the decision that they’d stay. Kuchel convinced Levi to get some rest in her bedroom while she made Hannes a cup of tea. It was early enough in the morning that they’d both stay up. Kuchel called the school to let them know the situation while Hannes attempted to call Grisha. Between the two of them, they ironed out all the details and would just have to wait while Eren finished his presentation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Currently traveling and posting this from my hotel room ^^ I apologize if there are any mistakes- I wrote this while in the car! I hope you all enjoyed it!! <3 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And, as always, my personal blog as well: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi: 15  
> Eren: 12

Levi hated going to school while Eren was still locked away in his bedroom. He felt on edge and it seemed everyone else was aware of it as well. His scent kept most people away, emphasis on _most_.

“Eren’s presenting, isn’t he?” Hange’s voice was husky with excitement. “Omega presentations _suck ass._ You couldn’t pay me to go through that shit again. Plus, puberty on top of that and you’re basically dead by the end of it all.”

“And he’s staying at your house? That’s got to be tough on you,” Erwin teased.

“I swear, I’m going back to the other lunch table,” Levi threatened without any real intention behind it. He glanced over at the other table where his friends from his own class were shooting him stares and smirks. It was as if the entire school knew about Eren’s presentation and intended on making Levi feel as uncomfortable as possible about it.

“Could you calm it down with the pheromones, though? I’m choking on them,” Nanaba sighed. “You don’t have to worry so much. I’m sure he feels safer at your house anyway.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he grumbled, realizing just how aggressive his own scent was. It wasn’t easy to calm himself down, but he tried.

“Are you kidding?” Hanji snorted with laughter.

“No?”

Mike cleared his throat and held back a smile from behind his paperback, “He’s got a crush on you.”

Levi stared blankly at them, unsure of how to swallow that information. A part of him really wasn’t surprised but the other just couldn’t digest the fact. They’d gotten teased about how inseparable they were, but they were just friends. Levi _babysat_ Eren for shit’s sake. The kid was years younger than him and still basically just a kid.

“That’s stupid,” Levi scoffed, pushing the fact aside. “He doesn’t have a crush on me. He’s just a clingy brat. That’s it.”

“I’m not sure whether to laugh or smack you,” Erwin mumbled, getting up to put his lunch tray away.

“Smack me and I’ll rip that arm right off,” Levi growled right back, still feeling as aggressive as ever. He just wanted to go home. Hannes was at their house as well as Levi’s mom, but it still didn’t curb that unsettling notion that Eren might need him or call out for him and he wouldn’t be there to help.

Hange mussed his hair and giggled, “You’ll figure it out eventually. Until then, we’ll just make fun of you for being so oblivious.”

As his old classmates left the lunch room, his new ones scurried over to join him.

“So, how’s Eren doing?” Petra asked innocently enough.

“I have no idea,” Levi wanted to sulk.

“I mean, if he’s presenting, don’t you want to… you know…?” Oluo wiggled his eyebrows like a creep and Levi held back from throwing the rest of his sandwich at the guy.

“No,” Levi flatly answered. He wanted to see Eren and make sure he was okay. He wanted to tell him it’d be fine and help him keep his mind off of the painful shifting of organs and suddenly potent scents in the air. He wanted to answer Eren’s calls whenever he cried out Levi’s name. He just wanted to hug him and keep him close, really.

“I guess when I presented, my brothers didn’t feel that way either. They just wanted to stay close and make sure I was okay,” Eld added in as if he were reading Levi’s mind. “You and Eren are close, it’s only natural to want to stick around him during this hard time.”

“ _Hard_ time,” Oluo snorted. When Petra shot him a look he laughed and shrugged, “Come on, we were all thinking it.”

Any perverse thought that crossed Levi’s mind regarding Eren was quickly extinguished by the amount of worry he felt for the poor kid. “You better not be thinking about it,” he growled so softly, he assumed no one else heard it.  Luckily, his friends were there to roll their eyes at the ever-immature Oluo so Levi wouldn’t have to set him straight physically.

“You’re such a pervert,” Gunter shook his head and smiled at Oluo. “How do you plan on courting anyone with a mouth like that?”

“A mouth like what?” he made a little pout.

“Filthy with your perverse thoughts, spitting all over with your long monologues and bloody from always biting your tongue,” Petra replied flatly with a little smug smirk.

“As a matter of fact, I’m already courting someone so it looks like I don’t have to worry too much,” he shot back with a confident grin. “And they seem to rather like my tongue, thank you very much.”

“Who?” Eld asked.

“They go to another school,” he muttered.

“ _Right,_ ” Eld laughed with disbelief and tried to stifle his laughter with a snort. “We’ll have to meet them sometime.”

“Ass,” Gunter laughed, ruffling Oluo’s hair. “Let’s get to class before they notice we’re late.”

“Notice? I’m sure someone would notice. We take up at least the entire back corner,” Eld was hurrying to go. He was one of the few of them who really didn’t like being late. Eld was responsible, kind, and always understanding. No one had expected him to present as an Omega due to being the first boy with facial hair in their class and his rather manly physique. Still, appearances couldn’t judge whatever secondary gender anyone would present as.

Levi spent his entire life thinking of Eren as an Omega for unknown reasons. He knew Eren wanted to be an Alpha, just like Levi, and Levi imagined just how crushed Eren was with the new fact of his life. Eren really didn’t take on any specific image, masculine nor feminine. His eyes were sharp with determination in everything he did, but also beautifully hued in a way that was both captivating and almost intimidating at times. He hadn’t hit his growth spurt yet, but Levi had a feeling he’d grow out of his youthful pudginess even more. Over their lifetime together, Levi had heard countless people calling Eren cute, adorable, and handsome. He didn’t really notice appearances much, but Eren really was quite attractive and he smelled nice too.

 _Shit,_ he cursed at himself for daydreaming again rather than hurrying the fuck up back to their classroom. Why was he thinking about Eren like that anyway? _He’s got a crush on you._ Levi shoved that bullshit right out of his mind and focused on the present, even if it was hard to get his mind off of his hurting friend. He just didn’t want the brat to suffer so much, that was it.

He dodged in alongside his friends nearly undetected, taking his seat in the back corner and whipping out his notebook and pencil. After a way-too-long lesson about geometry, they could finally break into their groups to work on an in-class assignment. As always, his group finished first so they had time to fuck around before their school day ended and Levi could finally get back home.

“Levi,” someone else from the class approached their little pod and rested their sweaty-ass palms on Levi’s desk. She presented around a month ago as an Alpha and had been dead-set on courting someone since she got back. “I hear Eren’s presenting.”

“Yeah?” Levi raised an eyebrow at her, just waiting for her to say it, waiting for her to fuck it up.

“So, if you’re not courting him, can I?”

There it was. The ultimate fuck-up. “No,” the word came out before Levi could fully register it.

She laughed and shook her head, “Good joke. I’m just asking to be polite. I knew you two were close and figured I’d warn you.”

“Warn me?” It was an obvious challenge.

“Yeah, he’s cute and young,” she shrugged. “I bet he’d be a fun one to court.”

Levi stood from his chair rather abruptly, standing firmly in front of her so their noses were almost touching. “Stay away from him,” the words came out lowly and threateningly.

“Geez, calm down,” she rolled her eyes and gave him a little shove before returning to her friends, all of whom were staring at the confrontation with open mouths. They looked like a group of carp in Levi’s opinion. He could hear her gabbing to them, “What a fucking freak.”

Levi reluctantly sat back down and looked to his friends who were all scowling in her direction.

“He’s suffering through presenting and all she can think about is courting him?” Petra was slowly shaking her head. “That’s shallow. He’s probably terrified to go back to school and if a bunch of people come up to him trying to court him, it’d only make things worse.”

“It’s sadly not surprising,” Oluo kept his nose to his notebook with a frown.

With every passing word, Levi just wanted that damned bell to ring so he could go back home. His heart ached to get back to Eren so he could be there for him. Not only did he have to deal with the fact that he was an Omega, he had to deal with all the bullshit that came with it. With Eren’s pretty face, Levi didn’t doubt he’d get asked by plenty of people to go on dates. He’d have to go through heats and take medication to suppress his scent. He’d have to worry about getting taken again.

A shiver ran up Levi’s spine and his entire body felt wrong. Why wasn’t he moving? Why couldn’t he tear down the halls and out the door, snarling at any damned thing that got in his way? Eren was twelve for shit’s sake, he didn’t deserve this new life yet. He should have stayed a kid for just a little bit longer.

Luckily, the bell rang and Levi could race out of the classroom without even saying goodbye to his friends. They’d surely understand anyway. Levi just needed to make sure Eren was okay, that was it.

* * *

Kuchel went back and forth between the kitchen, bathroom, and Levi’s bedroom the entire day. She worried over Eren the entire day, making sure he got enough to eat and drink. She walked him to the bathroom periodically and walked him right back. It was easy without Levi there constantly looming over him like a mother hen.

Their entire house was a pleasant mixture of Hannes and Levi’s potent scents. The bright, happy, natural scents of oranges and freshly cut grass made their entire home smell like summer, which Kuchel adored. Hannes spent the day in the living room as a constant source of support. When she wasn’t tending to Eren, she was with Hannes watching movie and chatting about nothing in particular.

“Did you say anything to Rod?” Hannes eventually asked, the sore subject hanging uncomfortably between them.

She shook her head and sighed, “I know Levi wouldn’t want me to. And I know you probably don’t either… After all he did, it makes sense. Still, he’s human too.”

“He’s human enough to understand that what he did to you and Levi was wrong,” Hannes gruffly put it. “Between his obsessive behavior and that mating mark you both have, I can see how easy it would be for him to become so insistent. And I can see why you’d be compelled to try to understand. But, Kuchel… it’s okay to be selfish sometimes. You don’t have to bend to his will or try to make him happy. You have no obligation to do so.”

“I know, it’s just… complicated,” she chewed on her lip and rubbed a hand absentmindedly over the fading marks on her neck. She didn’t know when the pain would end and a new beginning would finally start. The mark linked them in one way or another and sometimes her heart still called out for him. Their constant on-and-off relationship used to thrill her and make her feel things. Now, it was just tiresome. He was never her best friend or someone she could fully trust. He brought nothing but raw emotions and that was it. At the time, she thought it was love and devotion. Looking back, she realized just how young and foolish she had been.

Levi’s father, however, brought nothing but love and dreams and hope. He filled her up with so much light and gifted her with the most precious son. And then, he was gone.

She looked to Hannes and wondered if those butterflies in her stomach were from those fonder memories or by the way he smiled at her, even when talking about something so difficult.

“I want you to be happy,” he kept his voice low, almost whispering to her. “And I know he doesn’t make you happy. But maybe I…”

Hannes couldn’t finish his sentence as the front door slammed open. Levi tore through the house and tossed his backpack on the kitchen table before sitting squarely in front of his bedroom door. “Eren? I’m back.”

Kuchel wouldn’t tell Levi about the very obscene moaning coming from his bedroom that day, and she _definitely_ wouldn’t tell him that most of the time Eren had been calling out his name. Based on the noises and scents coming from that room, Eren figured out how to make the hotness on his skin go away. Kuchel wasn’t sure to make of it, so she pretended she didn’t hear at all.

“I hope you’re not feeling too bad,” Levi leaned up against the door and started jabbering. It was the only time she heard him talk so much. She wondered if he knew that it helped Eren calm down. “Hange said presentation was horrible. Mine wasn’t that fun either…”

“Levi?” Eren’s little voice came through.

“Yeah, I’m here,” he confirmed. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Just… keep talking, okay?”

“Okay, okay,” Levi put his palm against the door. “I hung out with Erwin and Hange and the others today for a bit. They’re all doing fine and are annoying as ever. They all say ‘hi’ by the way. Petra does too. Mikasa and Armin asked about you today too, they miss you already.”

As Levi chattered on, he’d pause every once and a while to let Eren respond a little. Then, he’d keep going on a new tangent. He was so patient with Eren it was almost unbelievable. She knew teenagers were supposed to be rebellious or go through some kind of phase. Levi, though, wasn’t like that at all. He’d changed out his blue jeans for black skinny ones and he ditched bright colors for darker ones. He started swearing more often and she caught him watching porn on his laptop once or twice. Even with all the little changes, he was still the same Levi on the inside.

After a while, Levi and Hannes ate dinner in the kitchen while Kuchel delivered a plate to Eren and made sure he was set for the night. Levi definitely wasn’t as impulsive to get to Eren as he had been. Hannes was ready to keep him at bay if Levi made any kind of move to scramble into his bedroom, but surprisingly enough, he didn’t.

“Can I sleep on the couch tonight?” he randomly asked when Kuchel had gotten back to the kitchen.

“Then where would Hannes sleep?” Kuchel laughed.

“Well, with you, obviously,” Levi casually let out, causing both adults to look at one another with wide eyes. When they looked back to Levi, he just shrugged, “Come on, I know you’re courting. Plus, she kicks in her sleep and it’s driving me insane.”

“What, you don’t like snuggling with mommy anymore?” she challenged with a fake pout, totally avoiding the comment he made about Hannes and her courting.

“Not when you nearly knee me in the balls every few hours,” he snorted.

Hannes couldn’t hold back his laughter and cried from the giggles that raked through his body. Kuchel found herself giggling as well at Levi’s comment. It was safe to say that he was stuck with her for the night again and he was sure to keep a protective body pillow between them to protect himself from the kicking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading! I know I've been a little late on the weekly updates! So many things have been happening in the snakemittens household! <3 Thanks for your patience and I hope you enjoy! 
> 
> It's come to my attention that Ao3 has not been sending out emails to some who have subscribed to this story. If you're interested in sort of a back-up in case you don't get the notification, feel free to comment anything in the comment section (even if it's just a * or something)- I'll always reply to the comments after I upload a new chapter so at least you'll get an email alert (if you're signed up for that!) that I've replied to your comment! 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi: 15  
> Eren: 12

Everything below his waist hurt and Eren was too exhausted to even get out of Levi’s bed anymore. His body felt like it was melting into the sheets and that delicious citrus smell was fading rapidly, covered up by something new. Eren knew automatically that it was his own scent of fresh strawberries and mint. It wasn’t a bad scent, it reminded him of spending the summer with Levi chomping on strawberries and seeing how far they could throw the stems across the yard. Or the time their parents took them strawberry picking at a nearby farm. Or when Eren had begged for a strawberry cake for his birthday and the two of them nearly ate the whole thing themselves. Every memory included Levi and Eren distracted himself from the pain by letting them roll in his mind like a movie.

A familiar crash of the front door and thumping of feet. He perked up in Levi’s bed and waited for only a few seconds before Levi was there. “Hey, Eren. Feeling better today?”

Eren ignored his aching lower half and crawled across the floor until he could sit against the bedroom door. He brought the comforter off Levi’s bed with him and snuggled up into it and against the wood door. “A little,” he sighed. “This sucks.”

“I know,” Levi sighed with sympathy. “But it’s almost over, right?”

“I think so!” Eren spoke up with a bit of hope. “Now I’m more tired than anything. And super bored. I actually miss school for once.”

“You’re not missing much,” Levi promised. “I think your friends miss you, though.”

“I miss them too,” Eren poked his finger against the door as if he could reach out and poke Levi too. _I miss you the most, though._ He retracted his hand. Did he really just think that? Did the words almost escape from behind his lips?

It was true, though. He missed actually seeing his best friend and goofing off together. He missed Levi’s stupid jokes and the way he made everything seem like it would be okay. He missed the way Levi wore his jeans low and the words _Calvin Klein_ from the band of his underwear were exposed from the hem and how the teachers would always yell at him for it or how his shirts were starting to hug his muscles. He even missed out on the first basketball game of the season, the only sport Erwin could convince Levi to try out for that year. The image of Levi sweating had his heart clenching. Was that weird? Eren tried to shut his brain off for running off on such a stupid tangent.

“Eren?” Levi asked again.

Eren realized he was so engrossed in his own mind that he wasn’t even listening to his friend. “Sorry, what?”

“I asked that once this was all over, if you’d want to…?”

“Levi?” Levi was cut off by Kuchel’s voice. “I didn’t realize you were home! I was just about to do some of Eren’s laundry. Would you mind hanging out in the kitchen for a little bit?”

“Oh, uh, sure,” Levi’s footsteps faded from proximity and Eren scurried back away from the door so Kuchel could pop in.

He’d gotten used to her scent and found comfort in it. She set a bowl of soup on Levi’s dresser for Eren to eat later and picked up the hamper with all of Eren’s clothes in it. He couldn’t stop being embarrassed over it all. Every garment was covered in bodily fluids and dirty memories. He couldn’t even look her in the eye when she picked up the plastic basket. “Anything else you need cleaned up?” she offered with a smile. She was obviously trying to make it as comfortable of an experience as possible.

“No, that’s it,” Eren assured her, trying to make her visit as quick as possible.

“I think your parents will be on their way home soon, but you’ll probably finished with this presentation by the time they get back. I’ll let you know for sure once I can get in contact with them,” she informed him before stepping back out of the room. As always, she yelled cheerfully, “Let me know if you need anything else, Eren!”

Eren hadn’t thought about going home, but then again, he didn’t think about anything other than Levi and satisfying that underlying craving sensation that zipped through his body every few hours. He’d never admit it aloud, but those two thoughts often conjoined to make for a very dirty fantasy that he’d continue to deny ever happened in the first place. He blamed it on Levi’s overwhelming scent that always surrounded him.

And, of course, the mere thought of that perverse fantasy made his gut twirl with need. It looked like Kuchel would have to do some more laundry in the near future.

* * *

Levi stared at the abandoned laundry basket that sat in the middle of the living room. The phone rang and his mom rushed to answer it, leaving Eren’s dirty clothes absentmindedly. A thick cloud of strawberries emerged from that basket and washed over Levi like a hot shower. He stayed put in that kitchen chair with his homework splayed out across the table, but he couldn’t take his eyes off that fucking basket. Most of the clothes in there were his own and he could only spot a few items of Eren’s out of the bunch. A weird bubble of satisfaction filled his gut and his wrist jerked in a weird spasm, causing him to drop his pencil. It rolled across the floor toward the basket, stopping roughly a meter from it.

He got up from the chair with every intention to grab the pencil and get back to his studies. Instead, his feet kept moving until he’d approached Eren’s laundry. He fell to his knees and buried his face into the clothes to inhale that devilishly addicting scent. He growled into them at the thought of anyone else indulging in those sweetly ripened strawberries and fresh zing of mint. That smell was _his_ and _Eren’s_ and no one else’s. In a rush of adrenaline, he dragged the basket into the bathroom and shut the door behind him. The moment he did, he could hear his mom calling out for him but it all sounded as if he were underwater. Her force was foggy, quiet, and nonexistent in Levi’s state.

He gathered up as many clothes as he could into his lap and shoved his nose into them. Normally, the white stains and remnants of slick would have grossed him out but instead it turned him on like nothing else had before. It reminded him of presenting and that mind-bending need that put his body first and his mind second. He vaguely remembered the correct word for it, a rut. His mom said something about a rut being completely different from presenting. For Alphas, ruts were inspired by an Omega’s scent. It _returned the Omega’s call_ , as his mother put it and aimed to do the one thing an Alpha could in order to help their mate during a heat.

And to Levi, it was different. There was no fear or uncertainty. There was no vagueness to it at all. Levi knew more than anything that he needed to satisfy Eren, to claim him, and to mate him as soon as he could or he’d internally combust into an explosion of burning need.

A rap on the door had him looking up from the clothes and his own mother’s voice made him want to chase her away. “Levi, are you in there with Eren’s clothes?”

He didn’t reply. Instead he let out a bit of a groan of annoyance and glared at the door.

“Levi, listen. If you don’t come out right now and let me wash those, you’re going to go into a full-blown rut. Ugh, I knew we should have kept you in another house,” she kept knocking at the door. “Come on out, Levi. Let’s get those clothes washed. Come on, you’ve been so good this entire time. Eren has to leave soon and we’ll have to give some of those back.”

“Eren’s leaving?” Levi looked up in a new panic.

“Yes, I just got off the phone with Carla. They’re on their way back right now and we should really get Eren back home as quickly as we can. It seems like his presentation is nearly over and his pheromones are dying down enough for a safe move.”

Levi ignored the raging, painful erection in his tight pants and flung the door open. He ducked past his mom and stood in front of his own bedroom door. “He can’t leave,” he decided. It was the one thing he was certain of in that moment. That, and the fact that he was in a very awkward and confusing state of being horny and angry all at the same time.

“Levi,” his mother used that tone with him, the one verging on threatening that she only used once in a blue moon. “Get yourself into my bedroom right now and shut the door before I have to ask twice.”

Kuchel’s wrath was not something to be questioned or unleashed to its full potential. Levi knew better than that and had learned from a few mistakes through his lifetime. Her disappointment hurt more than any slaps or punches he’d received from Rod. He loved her more than anything and making her upset or cry was the last thing he’d ever want to do. Still, his need to stand his ground and keep Eren safe was playing with his mind in a scary sort of way. “I can’t,” he softly let out, staying put.

“I know it’s hard,” she started, her tone swapping from warning to understanding. “I really do. I know how hard that pull can be and how it can make us do really crazy things. You want to keep Eren safe, yes? Let’s keep him safe and let his parents take him home.”

“Too far away,” Levi choked out.

“He’ll just spend a few days there and then everything will be back to normal. We’ve got to let him get some of his own pheromone medications to help him feel better. We’ve got to let him get back to his own house so he can feel safe. And once he’s back to normal, you’ll be together again.”

He felt as though she were trying to calm a two-year-old throwing a tantrum rather than a teenage Alpha. Still, the simple words and phrases helped get through his muddled mind. He jolted up when he heard the front door open and recognized Hannes’ scent. Another Alpha so close to Eren forced a low, feral growl from his throat.  

Hannes rounded the corner to witness the scene and his pheromones automatically heightened in the air and spread around them. He was obviously trying to diffuse the situation with his own scent, covering up everything in a thick calm. Levi wondered if that was his natural reaction to Kuchel’s distress or Levi’s anger. Either way, it helped. Levi threw himself into his mother’s bedroom and slammed the door behind him.

Every cell in his body told him to break down the door of his own bedroom and finally touch Eren again. Levi suddenly realized that Eren probably didn’t want him at all. They were close, but Eren didn’t think of him like that, did he? All of their friends thought so, but they only saw the outside of their relationship. Eren had said it a million times at least, they were friends. That was it. At nearly thirteen-years-old, Eren probably didn’t even want to be courted or court anyone else anyway. Eren missed his school and his friends, but he probably didn’t miss Levi one bit. Those thoughts caused Levi to huddle up under his mom’s blankets, taking cover from the devastating thoughts. The rush of his potential rut came to an end as he calmed himself down.

Right. Eren wouldn’t want that at all. Eren wanted to go home. Eren wanted to go away. Eren wanted to leave and Levi wouldn’t stop him.

* * *

“Don’t make me leave!” Eren cried out as the group of adults stood outside the bedroom door in an attempt to coax him out. A ball of panic sat firmly in his core when his parents showed up and told him he’d be heading home. Eren didn’t want to leave at all, though. He felt safe in Levi’s room surrounded by the faded citrus scent. Did Levi want him to go? He knew his presentation had taken some kind of toll on the older boy and Eren _had_ been monopolizing his bed for the past week. “Where’s Levi?” he asked again, wanting to see if his horrid thoughts were a reality. He hadn’t heard a peep from Levi for a few hours and it only made him even more anxious.

“He’s in my bedroom,” Kuchel replied. “He’s staying put while we get you home.”

So that was it. Levi didn’t even want to see him. Eren’s body shook at the rejection and his eyes started to water. The only Alpha he’d ever thought of during his entire presentation didn’t even want him.

“He’s probably just emotional from the last few waves of his pheromones,” he heard Kuchel whispering to his parents. “He’ll be fine, though.”

“I will not!” Eren shouted back, growing angry and exasperated. He would _never_ be fine again, not when Levi was avoiding him.

“Come on, Eren, let’s go home and talk about this,” his mom encouraged. He hadn’t heard her voice in a while and didn’t realize how calming it was.

His father chimed in too, making him feel even more secure, “It’ll be really fast. Just a quick walk next door.”

Eren reluctantly left his little nest on Levi’s bed that he’d created over the past few days and packed it all into his backpack. He grabbed everything in sight that he could in order to make him feel better as well as his own things that he wouldn’t want Levi to find. In his rush, he grabbed a few more things of Levi’s he didn’t originally intend to take either. He realized just how addicted to that warm orangey scent he became and feared losing it more than anything. No, he feared losing Levi more than anything. If Levi wasn’t going to come out of his mom’s bedroom until he left, Eren knew that he had to go.

He looked around Levi’s room one more time. It had shifted and changed as they grew up. His bright blue blankets and sheets were now dark gray. Posters of the punk bands he liked were framed and hung on the walls. His bookshelf was full of old classics and the comic books that Erwin had introduced him to. There was a closet full of dark clothing and a few half-full bottles of cologne on his desk. Eren snatched one of those bottles, shoved it into his bag, and decided it was finally time to head home. With a burst of initiative, he threw open the bedroom door and let the adults fawn over him and usher him back to his own house.

His dad was right, the walk was short but even in that short amount of time he was hit with an onslaught of new scents and sensations. He covered up his nose with his shirt that still smelt faintly of Levi’s scent, the one he’d become accustomed to. Even his parents’ scents were offensive to his nose in comparison to Levi’s and it was annoying as hell.

When they finally made it through their front door, Eren made a beeline for his bedroom and slammed the door shut behind him. He started yanking out the contents of his bag, tossing the clothes into an artistically functional nest on his own bed and hoping the scent would fill up his bedroom sooner rather than later. He missed Levi’s room already and how the darker colors were more relaxing than his own bright bedroom.

In hopes to catch a glimpse of his friend, Eren peeked out of curtains and looked toward Levi’s bedroom. The curtains were drawn and he could see Kuchel rapidly running around the room with a spray bottle of cleaner. Levi followed after her, exclaiming something and waving his hands around a lot. It almost looked like they were arguing, something Eren had never seen before. Levi _never_ argued with his mom or even raised his voice at her. Perhaps he’d throw out a snarky remark here or there, but they never fought. Was Levi upset Eren stayed with them? Did he regret letting Eren use his bedroom? Was he upset that Eren was an Omega? The thought made his breath hitch with a little panic.

Eren rushed back to his nest and tried to distract himself again, but it was difficult. The heaviness of rejection sat low in his belly and outmatched the physical pain his lower half was in.  

More than anything, he wanted things to be normal again. He wanted to wake up the next day as if the presentation never happened. He wasn’t an Omega. He hadn’t just presented. Everything was back to normal and life would resume as always. But, he knew, that wouldn’t be the case. He’d have to go back to school and face the ridicule of being an Omega. He’d have to face Levi again at some point and hope things could remain the same between them. And, with a little luck, he’d figure out how to move on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading!! <3 I chose not to get too graphic with Eren's presentation since he's twelve. I think that would be pushing it haha! I'm not really sure when the more graphic stuff will come out, I have no idea what age-grouping would be appropriate or not. What do you guys think? I'd love to hear your opinions!
> 
> It's come to my attention that Ao3 has not been sending out emails to some who have subscribed to this story. If you're interested in sort of a back-up in case you don't get the notification, feel free to comment anything in the comment section (even if it's just a * or something)- I'll always reply to the comments after I upload a new chapter so at least you'll get an email alert (if you're signed up for that!) that I've replied to your comment! 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi: 15  
> Eren: 12

Eren ended up staying home for one last day before heading back to school. Levi caught a glimpse of him through their bedroom windows, sobbing into his pillow. The sight made Levi want to break down and cry too. Eren was most likely devastated that he had to present in Levi’s bedroom of all places and probably still recovering from the horrid experience. At least, that was Levi’s first guess. He couldn’t imagine any other reason for Eren’s hysterics.

Levi, despite his best efforts, dwelled over Eren during his entire school day. His scowl had grown so fierce that even his own friends knew to leave him alone. Petra was the only one with enough gumption to ask him if he was okay, to which he simply nodded and carried on with the day. Everyone already knew he wasn’t, his pheromones couldn’t lie and he didn’t bother reeling them in. His suppressants could only do so much to tame them, but Levi was actually okay with that for once. It kept everyone away and let him wallow in his own worry.

For some reason, he felt like a failure. His gut had scolded him for failing some kind of task, for letting someone down. Levi mulled over the feeling for the entire day, wondering what the hell he did or didn’t do. The only explanation he could find was having such a potent scent that Eren had to drown in for almost an entire week. Still, that didn’t explain the sounds coming from the bedroom for days on end.

 _Stop._ Levi scolded himself for even _thinking_ about the sounds he heard coming from Eren. Still, Eren’s cries of newfound pleasure were burned into his memory and Levi couldn’t decide if that was a good or bad thing. The times when Eren screamed out for Levi, though, those memories were surely locked away. He blamed it on impulse and an Alpha’s scent, that was it.

Suddenly, his teacher was at his desk wearing a face of sympathy. “I think you should head over to the nurse’s office for some more pheromone suppressants, okay?”

Levi grabbed his bag and left the room without a word, happy to get out of the stuffy atmosphere with too many scents drifting around. The hallways weren’t any better scent-wise but at least they were empty. He rounded the familiar corners until he’d ended up in his mom’s office. She didn’t look surprised to see him and barely looked up from her computer when he made himself comfortable on one of the beds set up in the little office. It wasn’t the first time he had found peace in her oasis of an office and she never shooed him out or questioned him at all.

This time, though, it was different. “So, what’s got you down? Is it Eren still?”

“Are you kidding me?” he sighed with annoyance. Why did everyone have to _always_ assume his emotions concerned Eren in any way, shape, or notion. It was often times true, sure, but did they really have to assume?

“So, it is. Are you upset that he’s upset?”

“He looks more like his dog died or something rather than upset.”

“Levi, don’t worry about it. It’s only natural.”

“How is crying over a terrible presentation natural?”

She finally looked up from her computer and raised an eyebrow. “Is that what this is about? You think that he had a terrible presentation?”

“What else would it be?” he scoffed. “I don’t blame him. He was in an unfamiliar place with an Alpha’s scent choking him the whole time. Eren puts up a brave face, but I _saw_ him crying the moment he got home.”

“Levi,” his mom spoke rather sharply just to get him off of his spiraling train of thought. “Weren’t you paying attention in the sex class I taught?”

“I think I was a little distracted when my own mother started talking about knots and heats in front of my entire class,” he flatly responded.

“It’s common for Omegas to fall into a little emotional drop after presenting and their heats as well. It’s their cruel biology telling them they were unsuccessful at alluring a mate. Alphas can feel it too in certain circumstances, maybe you know…” She gave him a knowing stare before continuing, “So stop worrying about him. He’ll be fine. It would be best for you to just act like things are normal between the two of you. I’m sure he’d appreciate it if you’d give him a little visit after school, just as long as his parents are around.”

“His parents? Do you think I’m going to jump him or something?”

She shrugged, “It’s just a precaution. Knowing Eren, he’d probably jump _you_ instead and you wouldn’t have the heart to reject him.”

Were they seriously chatting about Eren like that? _He’s got a crush on you._ Those same words haunted him like a ghostly mantra, playing over and over. It didn’t make sense nor did Levi believe it fully. It wasn’t true and would never be true either, and he had to live with that.

“I swear, you wear your emotions on your sleeve,” his mom sighed. “Your scent is going to be stuck on me all day.”

“Sorry,” he mumbled. He really wasn’t sorry.

“Your own doubtfulness will ruin you,” she dug through the cabinet behind her and pulled out a white bottle of pheromone suppressants before tossing it to him and holding up two fingers. “Why does this need to be so complicated?”

Levi shook out two of the huge pills and glared at them before grabbing a little plastic cup of water from the sink and gulping them down. “What do you mean?”

“The two of you have been connected at the hip since you met. It’s clear to me what you both want. I’m definitely not saying you should do anything further than courting, but your interest is clear and you should make sure Eren knows that too.”

He spun around to face her and shook his head, “It’s not like that.”

“It’s not?” she challenged.

“He’s fucking twelve, Mom,” Levi reminded her. “Yeah, he’s presented and can start courting. Yeah, he’s basically an adult now. But he’s still fucking twelve and I will _not_ be the guy falling head over heels for a kid. Am I the only sane one around here to see that?”

“So, what will you do when someone else courts him, then?” She smirked at him as if she were so proud of herself that she had finally pinned him down.

Even the suppressants couldn’t hold back the scent of pure rage radiating off of him. He really didn’t have an answer for her and didn’t feel the need to blubber out some kind of sloppy excuse. What would happen if Eren courted with someone else? Levi could already name a few people who were obviously interested already, most of which were in his own class.

“This is bullshit,” he finally uttered, feeling completely defeated. “Whatever, he doesn’t want me anyway.”

With that, he returned to class with a slightly muted scent but an even larger storm thundering inside his brain.

_He’s got a crush on you._

Levi wanted to smash that little voice inside his head to bits.

* * *

The overwhelming sense of dread wouldn’t go away no matter what Eren tried. His parents offered so many suggestions, but nothing felt right. He wasn’t hungry or thirsty, he couldn’t sleep at all, and his mind was so muddy and weak that he couldn’t focus on anything. It almost felt like he was living in some kind of nightmare where anxiety was his oxygen and the disgusting feeling of failure lurked in his veins.

Luckily, his body was feeling physically better and he’d mostly recovered from the week-long _I-need-something-in-me-right-now_ fest. He didn’t think twice on the memories and didn’t want to.

He found himself staring out the window blankly as if waiting for something. Every time a car passed, he’d sit up from the couch to focus on it but then he’d just fall back into the blankets after it passed by.

“The post-presentation depression is even worse than mine after a heat,” Carla whispered to Grisha, though Eren still heard.

“You think it’s because he thought Levi would…?” When Grisha said ‘Levi’, Eren was perking up again.

“Shh, I don’t know,” Carla quickly replied. “Maybe his body was so sure that he’d… they’d… you know? But when it didn’t happen…”

He stopped listening when the familiar car pulled into Levi’s driveway. Eren watched like a hawk as Kuchel got out of the car, followed by Levi. They were bundled up in their winter coats, scarves and boots, so much so that Eren couldn’t even see Levi’s face clearly which made him sink back down into the cushions.

A new wave of tears shook through his body and he started sniffling again. He wanted to scream and curse for it all to stop, but he simply didn’t have the energy and just let the sadness overtake him yet again.

 _Stop crying, you idiot. Stop it now. This isn’t you. Eren Jaeger does not cry._ The image of his usual self was banging at his brain and clawing its way to emotional freedom, but the shell of depression kept him locked away.

Apparently, it was normal for Omegas. Eren marked it off as just another way the Omegas got totally fucked over in their biology.

His mom was on the phone with Kuchel minutes later and Eren idly eavesdropped for something to do.

“He had to leave class? He was really that upset?” Carla asked with surprise. Eren was sitting up again, wondering if they were talking about Levi. The one-sided conversation that he could only catch bits and pieces of helped fill in the gaps.

“I didn’t think Levi would be that affected. I mean, I know all Alphas feel a little guilty or down after, but…”

“They’ve always been close, yeah.”

“You think? I never thought that bothered him before.”

Something was bothering Levi? Eren finally felt like he was fully alert again and his curiosity was blasting out of proportions per usual. He left the couch for the first time that day in favor of his bedroom. As if on instinct, he grabbed one of the many pieces of Levi’s wardrobe that he stole and brought the cloth up to his nose for a deep breath. The citrus scent brought a bubble of happiness back into his stomach and he wiped his wet face and neck with the fabric until he felt like he could breathe again.

He glanced out his bedroom window and saw Levi flopped down on his bed. Eren had been watching Kuchel clean everything in there the day before. She washed all the blankets, the curtains, and even the carpets. All the while, Levi was complaining to her about something and following her around insistently. It made sense that something was bothering Levi, Eren just didn’t know exactly what. Whatever it was, though, Eren knew it had to deal with him.

Eren jolted up when he realized Levi had spotted him in the window. They just stared at each other for a moment and even though they were several walls apart, Eren could feel the awkwardness growing between them. It was so thick and apparent, he felt like he could choke on it and die. Which, in his opinion, would have been less painful than the steady stare he held with Levi.

It was stupid not to talk, though. Eren grabbed his whiteboard that wasn’t so white anymore having been stained with markings over the years. Despite its greyed appearance, he scrawled out: _Are you okay?_ He held it up against the window and watched carefully as Levi read the message.

Levi grabbed out his own whiteboard and wrote back: _No. Are you?_

Eren’s reply was easy enough. _No._

They both paused for a moment and Eren tried to read Levi’s expression. He didn’t look angry or upset in the least, but rather… lonely? Eren dropped his whiteboard to the ground and unlocked his window to heave it open. The freezing winter wind hit him right in the face, but he felt like he needed to just get a little closer. Their windows were only a few meters apart after all. In the summer, they’d open them up all day long just so they could chat while doing homework or cleaning. In the winter, however, it was easier (and warmer) to use the whiteboards.

Levi hurriedly copied Eren and opened up his own window. He stuck his head out and scolded, “You’re going to catch a cold!”

“Do you hate me? Are you angry with me?” Eren ignored Levi’s comment in favor of pure bluntness. He couldn’t take not knowing any longer. His heart hurt too much to wallow any more about how Levi felt. When Levi didn’t reply within a split-second, Eren started rambling to fill the silence, “I’m sorry I had to spend my whole presentation in your bedroom. I know it’s probably weird. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize it’d happen and I wasn’t sure what to do… And I felt safe there. I really didn’t mean to use your bed for that whole week. I know you’re going to be nice to me no matter what because you’re not an ass, but if you’re mad, I understand.”

“Eren,” Levi cut him off before Eren could spin further and further down a hole of babbling embarrassment. “I’m not mad and I don’t hate you.”

“Promise?” Eren had to ask.

In the blowing snow, Levi reached his hand out and extended his pinky finger toward Eren. Eren reached back to interlock them into a classic pinky-promise. They didn’t make many promises like that, so the ones that they did really counted.

“Are you feeling better now?” Levi asked him with a small smile.

“Much,” Eren decided. The very thought of Levi hating him and wanting nothing to do with him had Eren’s gut clenching with anxiety. Even just the slight touch of hooked pinky fingers was enough to make him feel a little bit more normal again.

“Good. Now get back inside before we both freeze to death,” Levi retreated back into his bedroom and waited to close his window until Eren did the same.

Despite his chilly, shivering fingers, Eren felt absolutely warm inside. His natural smile took over again, curling the corners of his lips up and that drowsiness that overcame his body lifted.

Things were going to be okay. Eren just knew it.

He waved goodbye to Levi and strolled back out to the main room where his parents were glued in front of the television. When the finally noticed him, they both spun around so fast with smiles on their faces.

“Feeling better?” his mom asked first, her vanilla scent wafting over him pleasantly. After some exposure, it wasn’t so offensive to his poor nose anymore. His dad’s aroma of gingerbread intertwined with it, creating a delicious and comforting combination of scents.

“Yeah,” Eren could happily say.

“You talked to Levi, didn’t you?” she giggled.

“What? I did _not_ ,” he lied. After a guilty pause, he chewed on his lip a little and looked away. “Okay, yeah. How could you tell?”

“Call it a mother’s intuition.”

“Are you two courting now?” his dad asked, unabashed and blatantly.

“C-courting?” Eren sputtered. “No, no way! Are you kidding me?”

His mom was giggling again and slapping Grisha playfully on the shoulder. “You’re embarrassing him.”

“That’s my job isn’t it? It was in the description when I applied for the ‘dad’ role. Anyway, Eren, don’t feel pressured to accept anyone that wants to court you. You take your own time. I’ve got a feeling you won’t let anyone trample over you, so I guess I don’t have to worry too much.”

She snorted at his dad joke, as always, and gave both guys a warm smile before ushering them all into the kitchen for dinner.

All the while, the words _courting_ wore heavy on his mind. Before presentation, it was the last thing Eren would ever dream of. After, it held a little bit more appeal. Would anyone even _want_ to court him? Did _he_ want anyone to court him? Levi had presented and wasn’t courting anyone, at least to Eren’s knowledge. What if Levi _was_ courting someone and just didn’t tell Eren about it? With that thought, he was suddenly standing up from the table though he wasn’t sure why.

“Eren?” his mom asked, “You okay?”

“Yeah, sorry,” he scrubbed at the back of his neck. “I’m… going to go to my room.”

Eren rushed in and closed the door behind him. His eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw Levi out the window shucking his shirt off. Next came the pants and Eren let out an audible squeal. He fell to the ground to duck out of sight and crawled over to the window, poking his head out just enough to catch another glimpse.

Levi was pulling on a different pair of underwear and Eren got the smallest peep of Levi’s bare ass. His face radiated with a blushing heat. Similar feelings from his presentation were blooming in his lower regions again and his whole body felt way too warm for comfort.

In a thoughtless rush led solely by emotion, Eren grabbed some of Levi’s clothes from his backpack. His mom hadn’t washed them yet and Eren wasn’t going to say anything about them until he was forced to give them back. They still held that familiar potent aroma from being trapped in the bag and Eren hefted it up to his nose, peering once again at his shirtless neighbor like some kind of perverted Peeping Tom.

He wanted to sigh at his own stupidity but it felt too damn good to stop. The rush of not wanting to be caught as well as that feeling Levi always gave him was nearly too much. Eren took a risk to look one last time, only to spot Levi looking straight at him.

“Shit,” Eren cursed at himself, fumbling with Levi’s clothes and his own little issue growing in his pants. When he looked back up again, Levi had set the whiteboard in the window with the words: _Caught you._

Eren was starting to realize Levi really had caught him, and in more ways than one. Caught him snooping, caught him from falling, and since they’d met, Levi had effortlessly caught Eren’s attention. Eren covered up his flushed face and realized just how much trouble he was in.

“I like Levi,” he admitted to himself, softly and in a whisper. The words meant nothing and everything all at once, but saying them out loud sounded weird.

“I don’t like Levi…” Eren tried, wondering if it had the same impact. It didn’t.

“I like Levi,” he said again. His heart did a little flip. He threw his head back in exasperation, only to end up hitting it on the wall behind him. “Well shit,” he sighed, finally figuring out just how much trouble he was in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! This chapter came out super early thanks to oekakiuma who drew up some artwork based on this story!! You can view the most beautiful thing in the world [here](https://oekakiuma.tumblr.com/post/168781057260/oekakiuma-i-started-reading-halcyon-by%0A)! I squealed when I saw this, her artwork is SO CUTE <3 I just had to add a new chapter so I could show you all <3 (THANK YOU SOPHIE YOU ARE SO TALENTED)
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	31. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren: 12  
> Levi: 15
> 
> This chapter came out super early thanks to oekakiuma who drew up some artwork based on this story!! You can view the most beautiful thing in the world ! I squealed when I saw this, her artwork is SO CUTE <3 I just had to add a new chapter so I could show you all <3 (THANK YOU SOPHIE YOU ARE SO TALENTED)
> 
> https://oekakiuma.tumblr.com/

Eren shuffled nervously in Kuchel’s car, biting at his lip and fiddling with the zipper on his winter coat relentlessly until a hand came over his in a silent plea for him to stop. He glanced over to see Levi gazing at him with that worried frown on his face. It was the first time he’d go back to school since presenting as an Omega and Eren couldn’t help but feel the least bit insecure. After years of boasting his athletic abilities, dominant personality, and Alpha-like characteristics he ended up as the complete opposite from what he had planned. Omegas didn’t usually participate in sports or get into fights. They were smaller, gentler, and usually nicer than the Alphas too. Eren, in short, was none of those things.

That wasn’t the only thing making him nervous, though. His newfound realization that he liked Levi more than just a friend bit at his heartstrings painfully. Every time Levi _looked_ at him, Eren’s stomach flipped. The slight, pleasant scent of citrus floating through the air and Eren was reveling in it. It was like his entire universe was shrunk down and stuffed right into Levi’s stupid face and Eren could do nothing but marvel at it.

Eren wasn’t stupid, he knew he had to actually confront his feelings and tell Levi too. However, any time he opened up his mouth, a big pile of stupid came out of it.

“Levi, I… think that shirt looks nice on you today.”

“Look, Levi, I have to tell you… the snow looks really pretty reflecting the light like that.”

“I just have to say… I bet today is going to be a great day.”

Eren wanted to melt into a puddle and slip right out of the car and into the street. The words just wouldn’t get out and he wanted to slap himself for chickening out. It was then he promised himself he’d confess his secret crush after school when the nerves of presenting as an Omega fizzled out.

For the most part, things weren’t too different. Armin and Mikasa greeted him at the front door and walked with him to their classes together, leaving Levi in the dust. Eren attempted to wave goodbye, but his friends were too busy averting his attention their way.

“Are you okay?” Mikasa asked, “Was it horrible?”

“There’s a rumor that you presented in Levi’s room? Is it true?” Armin questioned.

“You’re an… Omega, right?”

“How sensitive are you to the scents now?”

Eren stopped walking with them in an attempt to cease the onslaught of questions. In doing so, both of his friends skidded to a halt as well and looked back at him with worried expressions. Finally, Mikasa smiled and shrugged, “Sorry. We’re just happy you’re back.”

“Look who’s back!” a shout came from behind him, tagged with a slap on the back. Jean came out from behind him and grinned, “Our favorite little Omega is back to join the party! How was beating it off in Levi’s room for a week? Did he help?”

“Gross,” Eren muttered, hoping they didn’t catch the way his cheeks flared up or how his heart sped up at the thought of Levi.

“Who ate strawberries for breakfast?” another voice joined them, Ymir was scrunching up her nose with disgust. “It’s so sickly sweet, I might barf.”

“ _Ymir_ ,” Historia scolded, slapping her friend on the arm. She smiled to Eren and gave him a little wave, “It’s good to have you back. It was getting quiet without you. Jean was worried.”

“Was _not_ ,” Jean countered with a huff. “No one gets as riled up as Jaeger does. I missed out on some good entertainment.”

“Just admit you missed your friend,” Armin joked, giving Jean a little punch to the shoulder. “It wouldn’t kill you, would it?”

“It would,” Jean faked a cough, “I’m dying.”

“Loser,” Eren rolled his eyes and pressed on to their classroom before they ended up being late. His fears of being made fun of or ridiculed were dwindling fast with the help of his friends. Still, they day wasn’t over.

 

Lunchtime proved to be the most eventful portion of his day. Everyone in their small school was shoved into a mess hall at noon for lunch and that always opened up the opportunity for the classes to intermingle. Unbeknownst for Eren, he apparently had an invisible target on his back that stated _Open for Courting_. Before he could even take a bite out of the pizza he’d been looking forward to, a girl slid into the spot next to him and smiled brightly.

Hitch was in the class above him and usually hung out with the “popular” crowd. Her clique consisted of the rich, smart kids and they usually didn’t bat an eye at any underclassmen. Eren also knew Hitch as a bit of a player, consistently dating someone new to obsess over and, eventually, destroy.

“ _Eren,_ ” she nearly sang, batting long eyelashes at him. Her scent wrapped around him like a boa constrictor, choking him with potency and bitterness. “I heard you just got done presenting. By the scent of it, I know you’re an Omega. It’s adorable, really! I always thought you’d be some mouthy Beta or perhaps a mismanaged Alpha. Seriously, it’s crazy! Now that I look at you though, you’re definitely cute enough to be an Omega.”

“Cute enough?” Eren squinted at her. Since when did someone like Hitch call him cute?

“Definitely,” she confirmed. “Cute enough to be _my_ Omega, if you’re up for it.”

“I don’t know, Hitch. I think he’s out of your league,” Mikasa spoke out of nowhere, slamming her tray on the table on the other side of Eren and glaring. “If you don’t want Levi Ackerman to stab you in the back with his fork, I’d suggest you move along.”

Eren looked to the table behind them and saw Levi gripping onto his cutlery and staring daggers at Hitch. Why would he act like that? Eren wondered if Levi was protecting him from potentially the biggest mistake of his life or just being a good friend. A little voice in his skull thought differently, filling Eren’s heart with fantasies of Levi not wanting anyone else to court Eren for more romantic reasons.

“Levi?” Hitch straightened up and turned to give him an up-and-down. “Oh, has he already claimed you? I mean, you spent so much time together and always sort of smell like him, I thought you were just friends.”

“He hasn’t _claimed_ me,” Eren clarified with a sharp tongue. The word _claimed_ was like a pinch to his ego. He wasn’t a pet or a prize to be owned, but rather a fucking human being with dignity and a backbone. Then again, the words _Levi_ and _claim_ sounded so nicely together. Eren shook his head, realizing just how absurd the thought was. “And no one will.”

“We’ll see about that,” Hitch rolled her eyes. “Drop the whole prideful act and get with the picture. If you’re not being courted by Levi, let me court you. I’ll show you just how great it can be.”

“Gross,” Mikasa pinched the bridge of her nose.

“What, do _you_ like him?” Hitch directed her prissy fury to Mikasa.

Mikasa stared at her rather blankly and kept a firm tone. “Eren’s my friend, not a piece of meat waiting to be sliced.”

Armin and Jean finally joined their table, filling in the empty spots. They both gave Hitch a confused look, wondering why she was sitting next to Eren. Rather than battling it out with more underclassmen, Hitch rose from her spot and gave Eren’s hair a tousle. “Think about it, sweetie. Don’t let these losers talk you out of something _spectacular._ ”

They were quiet for a few moments until she was out of earshot. Jean’s mouth fell open and babbled something about how hot Hitch was. Armin got the lowdown from Mikasa. Eren looked back to Levi’s table, only to find that Levi had disappeared.

He looked back to Mikasa and poked her on the arm, “Thanks for that.”

“No problem. She’s pretty terrible.”

“Terrible?” Jean slammed his fist onto the table. “Are you kidding me? Hitch is the _hottest_ girl in our entire school _and_ she’s an upperclassman. Not to mention she’s an Alpha. Eren. What. Were. You. Thinking?” With every word, he pounded on the table again.

“She’s actually pretty scary,” Armin mumbled, making a creeped-out face.

“And annoying,” Mikasa added, poking at her apple.

Jean sighed, “Whatever. I guess you’re already taken by Levi, aren’t you? I’m guessing Hitch was just the only one with enough balls to question it.”

“Why do people keep saying that?” Eren blubbered out, covering his cheeks with his hands.

“So, you’re not?”

“No!”

“Oh shit. Did you tell Hitch that?”

“Well, yeah…”

“I’ll give it an hour,” Jean smirked and shook his head slowly.

“An hour until what?” Eren had to ask.

“And hour until every single person in this entire building knows that you’re not taken.” Jean took a huge bite out of his pizza and shrugged. He continued speaking with his mouth full, “Good luck, Jaeger. It’s a school filled with a bunch of horny teenagers that are ready to court you. Fuck, I’m so jealous. This isn’t even fair.”

Eren’s stomach sank and he suddenly felt like prey in a sea of predators. He felt the hot stares of dozens of eyes on him and the lunchroom turned into a battle field.

The issue was that he didn’t want Hitch or anyone else for that matter.

He just wanted Levi, who wasn’t even there.

* * *

Levi huffed and puffed down the hallway until he’d reached his mother’s office. She wasn’t in there and he was a little thankful. The pheromones rolling off of him were overpowering and aggressive. His skin was literally dripping with sweat and scent. Everything around him felt hot and his fingers kept clenching into fists, ready to fight.

“What the fuck?” he whispered to himself, trying to calm down. The sudden burst of anger washed over him when he saw Hitch touching Eren. He knew that bitch would pounce the second Eren got within her grasp. The fact that she assumed he and Eren were courting was the only thing saving Eren from a parade of potential suitors. Once Eren accidentally let the cat out of the bag, he’d unknowingly opened the gates of Levi’s personal hell.

Eren was too young to be courted and much too innocent. He was too pure and naïve. He was too perfect and beautiful and lovely to be wasted on someone who would just break his heart and leave him lonely. Levi cared too much about Eren to let just anyone court him and he kept telling himself the anger was born out of that concern.

“Levi?” Kuchel came into her office holding a mug full of soup in one hand and a clipboard in the other. “Feeling okay?”

“Fine,” he lied. “Just needed to lay down for a bit.”

“Need a note to head back to class?”

“Yeah, please.”

She gave him a funny look while writing out the excuse slip and he had to ask about it. “What?”

“I heard someone has tried to court Eren,” she hummed.

“Yeah, so what? He’s smart enough to find someone good.”

“Sure,” she breathily laughed. “What about you? Has anyone caught your eye?”

“Gross. Shouldn’t you be asking about my schoolwork or something?”

“You’ve got straight A’s, that’s good enough for me.”

“If I start getting D’s, will you stop asking me about Eren?”

“If you start getting D’s, I’ll ask you even more about Eren,” she winked.

“Gross,” he rolled his eyes again and grabbed the excuse slip from off her desk to head back to class.

As bothered as he was about every single person in his school wanting to court Eren, it didn’t surprise him. Eren was beautiful, hilarious, and had the magic power to make anyone smile. He was also fierce, courageous, and stronger than anyone else Levi knew. Beyond all of that, he was curious, adventurous, and the most interesting person Levi had ever met.

He stopped midway through the empty hallway, his footsteps ceased their tapping echo. Coincidentally, he’d stopped by Eren’s locker. There were already three envelopes with hearts drawn all over them taped to the front. Levi wanted to rip them all off and throw them away, but resisted the tempting urge.

No one else knew Eren like Levi did. No one else knew the way his eyes lit up when he got excited or how he was still afraid of the dark. No one knew the way Eren cried and how he could make the entire sky cry with him. No one else knew of his monstrous rage or his blinding delight.

Levi knew, though.

Suddenly, the brotherly love was melting away and concern warped into jealousy. Eren’s age ceased to hold him back. The growing hunger in Levi’s heart was eating the rest of his insides until all that was left was a realization that nearly broke him.

He liked Eren. A lot.

 

On their ride back home from school, the air in the car felt thick and heavy. Levi rode in the front seat alongside his mother while Eren occupied the back. The voices on the radio were filling the silence, though Levi couldn’t make out what they were saying. Similar phrases were running around in his mind. _I like Eren. Oh shit, I have a huge fucking crush on the kid. No, it’s just the pheromones. No, it’s something more. I want to make him smile and I could do a damn good job at it. No one else could do it better. But does he even like me like that? Or does he just think of me as a brother?_

Levi chanced a glance back at him and Eren was dazedly watching the world pass out the window. Eren caught his eye and looked up to the front, giving Levi a little smile. His cheeks were pink, most likely from the winter chill and his long day. _God, he’s so fucking cute._

Levi slumped in his seat and whipped out his phone to help distract him from the onslaught of his own hormones. He had a dozen texts from his friends that were wondering where he went to after lunch and even more asking about Eren. In efforts to avoid human interaction, he flipped through his photos instead only to find a majority of them were of himself and Eren.

There were tons of the two of them messing around with the Snapchat filters: dog ears, flower crowns, and bug eyes. All of which, they were both laughing their asses off and trying to make the stupidest faces possible. Some photos were from the events they’d been to together like the school basketball games, afterschool studying, and the movie nights they spent together. All of the photos were filling Levi’s heart up with stupid, giddy happiness and it was both infuriating and solidified his realization.

He didn’t court anyone, not because he didn’t want to, but because the one person he wanted to court wasn’t ready yet. After Eren presented, everything between them changed. It was no longer their usual relationship where Levi watched over Eren like a sibling. It was no longer Eren-and-Levi, the pair who never went anywhere without each other.

It was Eren, the Omega, with a mind of his own and a personal objection to courting. It was Levi, the Alpha, who was head-over-heels for someone he’d known for years but would probably never get.

 _I’m such a fucking sap,_ Levi shook his head for the millionth time that day. After dropping Eren off at his house he and his mom mulled around the kitchen while waiting for their pasta to cook.

“What do you want to do for your birthday? It’s coming up quickly!” she asked while putting some dishes in the dishwasher.

“Nothing,” Levi replied as always.

“Dinner with Hannes and the Jaegers?”

“Sounds fine.”

“What kind of cake do you want?”

“Strawberry,” Levi spoke without thinking. He looked up to her when he made the connection between the flavor and his newfound crush.

“Strawberry, hm? That’s different from your usual,” she smiled like a cat and giggled a little. Of course, she noticed too. “I bet Eren will love it.”

“Shut up,” Levi groaned. “He doesn’t like me like that.”

“But you do.”

“But he doesn’t,” Levi pressed, wanting to end the subject as soon as possible. Eren could choose anyone he wanted at any time he wanted. He could not date anyone at all, too. But one thing Levi knew for sure, Eren definitely wouldn’t choose him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the new year, everyone! I hope it's a great one for you <3 ALSO. The blessed [oekakiuma](https://oekakiuma.tumblr.com/) has drawn up yet another scene from this story and I am rolling in joy over it. SO CUTE. <3 THANK YOU MY LOVE <3 You can view it [here](https://oekakiuma.tumblr.com/post/168813278280/do-the-voices-eren-prodded-at-levis-thigh-it) <3<3<3
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi: 16  
> Eren: 12

Eren glared at the several pill bottles now occupying his bathroom. Pheromone suppressants, birth control, and one that was supposed to help with his first few heats were mocking him in their orange bottles. He gulped them down as fast as he could just to get the process over with. That Saturday wasn’t a day for worthless spite over his secondary gender anyway, so Eren was able to quickly adjust his mindset to something much more exciting: Levi’s sixteenth birthday.

He’d been anxiously waiting for the day, deciding that it would be the day he let out all of his feelings into the open. After days of scrutiny and thought, he’d created the perfect gift with a little help from his mom. He’d wrapped it himself as if he were a gift-wrapping expert and topped it off with a green bow. Everything was perfect and prepared- except his heart. It bounced wildly in his heart and he couldn’t seem to relax. He fumbled picking his toothbrush up and nearly sent all his toothpaste splattering across the bathroom. He tripped several times trying to get a pair of jeans on and couldn’t seem to figure out how the buttons on his shirt worked. In a bout of frustration, he threw it across the room and went with a hoodie instead.

Eren hopped onto the living room couch in hope to distract himself with a show or a movie for the day when he noticed two new vehicles in Levi’s driveway. One of them was a sporty, black two-door and the other was a silver SUV. Eren had to wonder who was visiting that day, as the Ackerman’s didn’t have many visitors besides Eren and his family. Either way, he’d find a way to wait patiently for Levi’s birthday dinner and hopefully wouldn’t internally combust with anxiety before then.

* * *

Kenny Ackerman stood in the middle of their living room with a special sort of smirk and his hands on his hips. His telltale uncle had finally stopped by to see them for the first time in years, accompanied by an Omega girlfriend who kept complimenting the cleanliness of their home. Her scent was light and barely noticeable, but Kenny’s was taking up the entire space like a storm. Levi found himself unconsciously combatting it with his own until they’d seemingly reached a stalemate and Levi’s mom had to spray deodorizer all over the room.

“Since you’re not a brat anymore, I thought I’d drop this off for you,” Kenny threw Levi a pair of keys. “It’s the sporty little thing out front. Didn’t know what color you liked, I went with black.”

Kuchel stared at him with wide eyes. “Kenny, seriously? You shouldn’t have! This is… this is too much. That’s a nice car!”

“Consider it a consolation prize for missing out on some quality uncle-nephew bonding time over the last few years,” he shrugged and fell back onto the couch with his girlfriend in tow. She automatically curled up next to him and smiled at the two Ackerman’s still standing. Honestly, she looked nice and was quite beautiful in her own way. Levi was surprised to see her hanging over his uncle so fondly. In contrast to her soft nature, Kenny was gruff and tough like any other drug lord in the city looked to be. His facial hair was kept at a thick stubble and he kept his hair long and slicked back. By the looks of his nice suit and shiny shoes, he wasn’t doing too bad for himself.

Levi had to wonder what happened to his mother’s tender-hearted brother over the years. Was this seriously the guy who wrote her a bunch of coupons as a gift? Was this the guy who brought her flowers when she was sick? Was Kenny really someone who had the capability of being so soft and sweet? How the hell did he end up in such an illegal profession? And what the hell was Hannes, a dedicated police officer, going to do about it? Did he even know?

“Anyway, happy birthday, kid,” Kenny finally spoke after winning the little argument with Kuchel as to whether or not it was too large a gift or not.

“Thanks,” Levi got out, unsure of what else to say. What was he supposed to say to someone who got him a fucking car? And a cool one at that?

“Once we get your license from the courthouse, we can take it for a spin!” Kuchel clapped her hands together with renewed excitement.

“Sounds good, Mom,” Levi returned, falling into the armchair and glancing out the window toward Eren’s house. His mind fell into daydreams of driving around with Eren in the passenger’s seat, singing along with all the stupid songs they knew and heading off into the sunset like a couple of saps. After coming clean to himself about his feelings for Eren, those little thoughts kept pouncing on him at any moment’s notice. Memories, fantasies, and daydreams terrorized his heart, making it flip and ache. Still, he knew not to get ahead of himself. Eren didn’t want a mate, at least not in the near future. He’d said it himself and Levi knew better than to doubt Eren’s word.

It didn’t stop him from constantly checking his phone for texts and the time until the Jaeger family was supposed to arrive. Kuchel and Kenny’s girlfriend chatted in the kitchen while preparing dinner while Kenny and Levi mindlessly watched the television.

Finally, Kenny started up some obligatory conversation. “Got a girlfriend yet, Levi? Or do you like boys? I can’t seem to remember.”

“I don’t really like anyone,” Levi lied. He really didn’t want to take part in the conversation whatsoever. No offense to Kenny, but Levi’s lack of love life wasn’t exactly his business.

“Ah, can’t decide, hm? You know, I left some magazines in that car for you. Tucked ‘em under the driver’s seat. It’s always handy for young guys like you to do a little exploring, figuring out what they like and don’t like. That sort of thing.”

“Oh, uh, thanks,” Levi blabbered out, wondering if he should be intruded or disgusted.

“Don’t mention it. Especially to your mother. God knows what kind of trouble I’d be in if she found out… I guess the Internet has really spoiled you kids these days, though. I’m sure you’ve seen just about everything by now. Call me old-fashioned, but there’s something charming about the magazines.”

Was he really sitting in his living room talking with his uncle about porn? Seriously? Levi wanted to shrink down to the size of a pea and sneak out of the room like a mouse. He had half a mind to just walk away, which is what he really wanted to do. He wanted to hide away until Eren finally came over.

Shit. Levi never considered that Eren and his family would be meeting Kenny for the first time. He assumed Eren’s parents had heard stories, but Levi hoped his uncle wouldn’t say anything too terrible to Eren. Kenny had the ammunition and gumption to humiliate Levi to the point of no return, it was something Levi wanted to avoid at all costs.

As if sent by the gods themselves, Hannes walked in through the front door without knocking as he always did. Kenny abruptly stood from the couch, reaching for something inside his jacket. The two Alphas stood and stared for just a moment before Kuchel came running into the living room to give Hannes a hug. “So, glad you could make it!”

“And this… is?” Kenny waited for some kind of explanation, relaxing just a little.

“Kenny, this is Hannes. You know, Hannes? I’ve told you about him,” she gave Hannes a pat on the shoulder. “And Hannes, this is my brother Kenny. His girlfriend and I were just working on dinner. Go ahead and have a seat!”

Hannes took the armchair next to Levi’s and gave Kenny a funny look. “So, you’re the drug dealer?”

“And you’re the cop?” Kenny returned, raising an eyebrow.

“Lucky for you, I’m off duty today.”

“Same. Call it even for now?”

“Sure.”

Hannes turned to give Levi a smile, “Happy birthday, Levi.”

“Thanks, Hannes,” Levi returned, loathing the increasingly uncomfortable aura in the room. He was thankful Kenny only visited once every blue moon, because he definitely couldn’t cope with the two grown Alphas leering at one another. Hannes’ scent filled the room, the fresh and grassy aroma making the cold winter day feel like summer. A bit of Levi’s blended in nicely, adding a little citrus to the mix. Kenny’s was sharp and tangy, a zest that no one would have expected. The three Alphas sat silently while the scents combined, combated, and reached for the final dominating victory. The two adults stared down Levi as his scent won out over both of them, becoming heavy in the air while the other two rested underneath.

“I’ll… be right back…” Levi dismissed himself quickly, sneaking to his bedroom for an escape from the tension. He shut the door behind him and took a breath of fresh air. His bedroom still held the faint scent of Eren, one that always seemed to calm Levi down. Eren had begun leaving his things there more often than not, coats and sweatshirts were piled up on Levi’s chair. A few winter hats and scarves were waiting to be returned on top of Levi’s dresser. It only created a stronger draft of Eren’s sweet scent. The brat unknowingly sending Levi’s heart racing with want and need.

Levi allowed himself one selfish moment to wrap Eren’s scarf around his neck and breathe in the almost overwhelming scent. The scarf seemed to soak up the oils secreted from Eren’s scent glands on his neck and it carried the most satisfying, full sniff. It was like Levi’s personal stash of cocaine and gave him the boost of energy he needed to get through the day with Hannes and Kenny before the Jaegers came to visit.

 

“So, Kenny, you’re a salesman?” Carla politely asked at the dinner table.

“One of sorts, yes,” Kenny replied with a catlike grin. “And you’re a model, no?”

Carla giggled at Kenny’s creepy joke and waved her hand at him. “Oh, please. You’ve got the prettiest thing in the room right next to you,” she gestured kindly toward Kenny’s girlfriend who would most likely dump him in a week or so. All Levi could think was _false, the prettiest thing in the room is sitting right next to me._ He glanced over at Eren who had a mouthful of pizza and a thick string of cheese hanging out from his mouth. He offered Levi a cheeky grin before returning his attention to the food.

“And is that a new car I see out in the driveway?” Carla continued on, guiding the conversation like a conversational goddess. Levi appreciated the chatting, he preferred it to the awkward silences and leering Alphas.

“Ah, yeah, just a little coming of age gift,” Kenny laughed. “A car like that might help Levi here catch a little tail and have a little fun. Kids need to enjoy life when they’re young and beautiful, you know?”

Eren perked up a little bit for some reason but quickly looked down at his plate.

“Just remember to be responsible,” Kuchel warned, retaining her maternal instincts. “I don’t want you to get any speeding tickets.”

“Ah, don’t worry too much. I bet Hannes, here, could bail you out of any sticky situations,” Kenny jested, giving a pointed look at the cop.

“Don’t worry about it, guys. I don’t think I have many places to go besides school and back,” Levi tried to end the conversation before it drifted out toward dangerous waters.

“Anyway, I’ll go grab the cake,” Kuchel left her seat and returned with a beautiful strawberry cheesecake, as if she’d plucked it right out of that cooking show she loved so much. After serving up plates, Levi dove into the rich and creamy goodness followed by his newfound favorite flavor of strawberries.

Cheesecake, Levi found, seemed to heal any social wounds.

“This cake is _amazing,_ ” Hannes blurted out.

“The best! I knew my sister could cook!” Kenny complimented.

“As wonderful as always,” Grisha added in while Carla just shoved more into her face, unable to stop eating to give Kuchel a good word. Levi didn’t blame her, he was stuffing his face too.

Just like that, everyone was acting so damned peachy that Levi wondered if his mother drugged the cake with some pot she bought off of Kenny. Levi snorted a little at the thought of his mother even considering purchasing drugs from her brother and shook the thought.

“You two have been awfully quiet this evening,” Kuchel noticed with a little, knowing smile.

“I, uh, think I might need some fresh air,” Eren was already getting out of his chair to throw on his coat. “Come on, Levi.” He said it as if Levi didn’t have a choice, which he really didn’t. They went outside and stood in the snow every year for his birthday, so why would that change?

They shucked on enough winter gear for their parents’ satisfaction and headed out to the backyard. A light flurry of snow was falling through the sky and dancing with the wind. The moon shined bright enough for some decent lighting and the porch lights helped the snow glimmer even more.

Eren plopped down into the snow by their tree and held out a package. Levi wondered how he didn’t see Eren bringing it out or grabbing it before they went outside. He figured he was so excited about leaving the awkward dinner table that he failed to notice. It was wrapped simply yet beautifully in brown paper and a green bow. From the looks of it, whatever was inside was soft as the paper crinkled and shifted in Eren’s hands. “Okay, open your present,” Eren demanded, holding out for Levi to take.

Levi sat next to him and put the gift in his lap, looking between Eren and the package. Something about Eren seemed stonily determined, as if he were on some kind of mission. Was he nervous about the gift? To save him from anymore suffering, Levi carefully unwrapped it until he found a soft, fleece blanket inside. The material was checkered with black and green and covered in Eren’s scent, as if he’d wrapped himself in it for a few days and didn’t wash it. Or perhaps it had just sat in his room for a while.

On top of the blanket was a folded sheet of paper that Eren was eyeing. Levi got the message loud and clear, reaching out to grab it. The second his fingers brushed up against the paper, a strong wind nabbed the sheet from him and took it dancing along with the snow flurries.

“No!” Eren cried out, attempting to catch it but failing as it flew beyond their reach and across the suburbs, effectively lost forever. He plopped back down next to Levi when he gave up on his rescue mission and visibly deflated.

“It’s fine,” Levi tried to console him. “What did it say?”

Eren gave him a weird look and bit on his lip for a moment before breaking out into a chuckle of laughter. “It was just a happy birthday letter, really, it wasn’t a big deal or anything.”

Levi wondered if Eren was lying, but couldn’t fret about it too much. Instead, he spread out the blanket and wrapped it around the both of them to help them cope with the chilly temperature. It was a huge blanket and Levi had to remember not to gulp down Eren’s scent like a creep. “I bet it was a great letter,” Levi lamely said in an attempt to make Eren feel a little better without revealing any of his true feelings that wanted so badly to crawl up his throat and fall out of his mouth.

“It wasn’t anything special,” Eren shrugged, still pouting a little.

“If it’s from you, it’s always special.” Levi put his arm around Eren and pulled him in a little closer for comfort’s sake. Besides, they needed to huddle closer together so they could both fit under the blanket. Levi turned his head, only to have his lips meet the crown of Eren’s head. His soft hair graced Levi’s lips and Levi soon realized he was kissing Eren’s crown.

Levi learned the definition of overwhelming as he breathed in Eren’s scent. Faint memories of his presentation were creeping back up on him and sending pangs of heat through his body. Flashes of primal needs crossed through his mind: _Omega, need, claim, mark, protect, mate._ A never-forgotten memory of Eren wanting to be Levi’s mate when he was younger happily returned to the forefront of his mind.

“You like your gift?” Eren asked, breaking Levi’s wave of instincts.

“Love,” Levi corrected. He thought for a second and blushed before restructuring his sentence. “I love the gift, Eren.” Just like any other thing Eren had given him, every birthday gift or drawing, shiny rock or craft, Levi would cherish forever.

“By the way, your uncle is weird,” Eren casually mentioned with a grin.

“Oh, I know,” Levi was happy to agree and grateful for their usual, friendly banter.

“But he got you a car?”

“He did. I think he’s crazy.”

“It’s a really cool car,” Eren’s smile was bigger than usual to the point it was almost creepy or suspicious. “You think you’ll… get a lot of tail in it, like your uncle said?”

“Huh? No. I don’t think I’ll be doing any of that.”

Eren exhaled, “Oh, well, okay. Just driving me around, then?”

“Just you,” Levi promised, wondering if Eren knew just what sort of promise that was. He wouldn’t waste his time courting someone he didn’t truly like or dare he say love. Always, forever, just Eren.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Thanks so much for all your wonderful comments and for reading! <3 I hope you enjoy this new chapter and I also hope you have a lovely day too! Also, I AM SO HAPPY TO SHARE WITH YOU GUYS SOME NEW ARTWORK! You can view [gh05st-calling's](https://gh05t-calling.tumblr.com/) illustration [here](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/post/169428536430/hey-i-drew-this-while-eren-was-still-presenting)! It made me giggle so much I cried <3 You can view [mmmbondage69's](https://mmmbondage69.tumblr.com/)  
>  artwork [here](https://mmmbondage69.tumblr.com/post/169334584065/its-been-a-long-time-since-ive-gotten-on-tumblr)! So cute! I'm so honored and my heart is so warm with happiness <3 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	33. Chapter 33

“You look much better than you used to,” Kenny mentioned, nursing a bourbon on ice.

Kuchel gave him a look and a smile, “Is that a compliment or an insult? I can’t ever tell with you.”

While the boys went out into the snow, she and Kenny had a moment alone together. Kenny’s girlfriend left for the bathroom and Hannes offered to shovel the snow and ice off of the driveway so Kenny could leave without getting his car stuck in the driveway. Carla and Grisha were huddled away in the living room by the fire.

“A compliment. You look healthier,” Kenny finished off his drink. “Is it because of your boyfriend cop or your new job?”

“Both,” Kuchel answered honestly. Her job made her feel a sense of accomplishment and purpose that she hadn’t felt in years. Better yet, she did it herself with a lot of sacrifice and hard work. When she realized the word ‘boyfriend’ had come out of Kenny’s mouth, she reeled back, “Wait, wait, wait. He’s not my boyfriend.”

“He’s not? What is he then?”

“He’s…” she found herself hesitating, unable to define it. Hannes had integrated himself into their live with such ease and comfort, that she hadn’t noticed just how close they had truly gotten.

Kenny took her pause as an opportunity to talk more. He always loved to talk, filling silence was one of his specialties even when they were kids. “Look, Kuchel. This place reeks of your own kid, but his scent is here too and it ain’t going anywhere soon either. You smile more when he’s around and you blush too. You seem like a _completely_ different person when you’re with him. I mean, I don’t really remember that Rod guy but you sure as hell didn’t seem happy with him.”

“Well, Hannes doesn’t hit me or Levi, that’s for one,” she muttered, still bitter over the memories when her need to have and be close to a mate dominated her need for personal safety and Levi’s for fuck’s sake. She absentmindedly rubbed over the mark, no longer in longing but in spite.

Kenny had gone silent for just a moment, something that rarely occurred. He stared at her blankly for just a moment before she started to smell it: his rage. The familiar scent of her brother turned sour and swept across the floor in a growing wave of emotion. It locked her into place as her body followed its instinct.

“He… what…?” Kenny stated slowly and through his teeth.

“Rod Reiss is a _filthy,_ _rotten, horrible_ excuse for a man,” Kuchel was finally able to say with solidarity and certainty. It used to burn her neck to feel anything other than adoration for the fucker, her cruel biology threatening her to stay with her mate for protection and survival. As time went on, though, she healed and became stronger. “He’s harmed me and my child, but he will not any longer,” she spoke it like a declaration to the world, speaking her truth and letting the world know that Kuchel Ackerman would no longer be pushed around.

Kenny stood up abruptly from his chair. “That man has _crossed a line,_ Kuchel. You should have told me sooner. Why didn’t you?” his voice raised out of passion and perhaps a little violence.

“You think I’d want my own brother to go after my ex-mate?” she stated flatly to him. “It would have hurt me just as much as him, you know. I know you’ve never had a mate, so you wouldn’t know!”

“I’m going to _fucking murder that bastard_ ,” Kenny snarled.

At that moment, Hannes burst into the kitchen, most likely in response to Kenny’s scent. His mere presence had a wind of summer grasses coating over Kenny’s scent in the most assuring way. “What the hell is going on?” he barked at Kenny, expecting a quick reply.

“Rod Reiss. He’s a dead man walking,” Kenny replied confidently.

Hannes took a few glances between Kuchel and Kenny before shrugging. “Finally, something we can fucking agree on. I hate the damn bastard.”

“Want to go shoot him?” Kenny offered. Kuchel knew just how serious her borderline psychopathic brother was, and she also assumed Hannes thought it was some kind of joke.

“Maybe next time,” Hannes replied with uncertainty, clearly wondering if he was serious or not. It made Kuchel giggle and the air slowly started to clear.

The boys came back inside and Levi was already reacting to the violence in the air. He grabbed Eren’s wrist and pulled him toward Kuchel, putting both of them subtly behind him and away from the two heated Alphas.

“What a gentleman,” Kenny muttered toward Levi’s behavior, “Quite the Omega’s man already, hm? You’ve got yourself a fine Alpha, Eren.”

Eren’s eyes nearly popped out of his head at Kenny’s words and he was already blabbering with a red-hot blush across his cheeks, “What? Levi’s not my… I mean, I don’t have a… We’re not…”

Kenny laughed, breaking out of his murderous mood in favor of a lighter one. “Sorry, to freak you out, kid! My mistake.”

Poor Eren looked to Levi with huge eyes filled with wonder as he chewed on his lip. Levi, to Kuchel’s amusement, was blushing himself and opting to hold up a flannel blanket to his face and mumble something about putting it away in his room. As he shuffled off, Grisha and Carla were poking their heads in to the kitchen in hopes to figure out what was going on, only to find a blushing Eren that was pushing them to rush back home.

In Eren’s haste, he didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye to Levi, but they’d see each other again soon enough that it wouldn’t be too big of a deal. Levi did seem a little sulky when he found out Eren had gone back home, but then he just rushed right back into his bedroom claiming he was tired.

Finally, Kenny and his girlfriend left as well. They had a long drive ahead of them and wanted to get going, so Kuchel didn’t blame them. She thanked him profusely for the car, knowing just how huge of a gift that was but not wanting to discourage her brother by making him take it back.

Finally, it was just her and Hannes. The two of them usually ended up spending the evenings together, chatting over tea or watching movies together. She vented to him about work or sometimes Levi when he was being especially snarky. She vented to him about her absent family and criminal brother. She told him everything and anything, just because she trusted him enough not to use the information against her or walk out without a word. They were comfortable together and that was her favorite thing about Hannes. She didn’t have to be afraid around him at all, in fact, she felt empowered by his presence and enabled to do anything.

“I have to ask you something,” she finally said while pouring them each a cup of tea.

“What’s that?” he sat at the table and rested his elbow on the table with his chin in his hand, waiting for whatever she had to throw at him.

“What… are we?” she let out. “Kenny said something about you being my boyfriend… It got me thinking. What are we, exactly?”

Hannes paused for a moment to think, choosing honest words and collecting his thoughts before spouting them off thoughtlessly. She appreciated those pauses and waited patiently. “I really like you, Kuchel. A lot. I’d do anything for you and Levi too, you know that. I think of you both as my family. I know we’ve both been bonded before and that we’ve both been hurt as well…” he scratched absently at his fading mating mark. “But, for you, I’d chance it again. Hell, I’d take that bet any day. But, if we never get farther than where we are now, I’m okay with that too. I don’t care what we are, as long as we’re together… as long as we’re _us_.”

Kuchel lacked the words to express the love beating through her heart for him. Her feet carried her across the room to his chair. Before she fully realized it, she was taking his scruffy cheeks into her hands, and kissing him square on the lips with a force that had been held back for months. His hands cupped her cheeks too, holding her in place while they both got a little lost in their long-awaited kisses. When they finally broke apart, she was grinning with tears in her eyes. “We’ll be _us_ then,” she decided. “But maybe… we could be _us_ a little closer together? I mean, you practically live here already but… seeing you all the time wouldn’t be so bad.”

“Not so bad, hm?” he chuckled, leaning forward just enough to touch their noses together.

“Not bad at all,” she laughed, grinning from ear to ear feeling a giddiness that she hadn’t felt in years. It was a welcome emotion and one that she wanted to bask in forever.

Hannes stayed the night that night, agreeing with Levi that Kuchel kicked too much in her sleep. She awoke to find their limbs tangled up together and her head on his chest, blissfully and unignorably happy.

* * *

Levi took refuge in his mom’s office after seeing yet another Alpha confessing their undying love for Eren. Apparently, Levi had lost control of his pheromones and they were making the Omegas uncomfortable. It was then a teacher asked him to politely visit the nurse’s office for extra suppressants. He’d escorted himself there only to find his mom wasn’t in her office. To pass the time, he sat in her chair and flipped through a health magazine she had lying out. Most of the articles were just attempting to sell something, it seemed.

_Rut & Heat: For Alpha and Omega couples, a healthy sex-life relies on mates syncing up their rut and heat cycles. Typically, Alphas will become more receptive to their mates before a heat. An Alpha’s behavior can even change during the pre-heat week, displaying dominance over others, getting anxiety in public spaces, hoarding items such as food and beverages, and becoming easily aggressive at even the slightest trigger. An Omega’s pre-heat week consists of like behaviors, though usually much less apparent. Lastly, a rut will be triggered by a heat for mated pairs. For unmated pairs, ruts typically occur every one to three months for Alphas while heats occur every one to three months in Omegas. Are you an unmated pair in need of some collaboration? Finding yourself unable to sync up with your mate? Try HeatSync, a bio-engineered supplement that can help you get your sex-life back on track!_

_Losing Your Senses?: As we get older, our scent fades naturally. Stop biology with Scent-Boost! Our technology uses hormones originally found in moths and will revive your love-life to the fullest!_

_Lost Love: Still feeling the burn from a broken bond? We understand. Alphas and Omegas experience this pain differently. Alphas can become blindly aggressive and even manipulative. Omegas can become depressed and physically ill. Help the pain with our new product, BondEase.  Ask your doctor if BondEase is right for you._

Levi sighed at just how boring the magazine was and leaned back in his mom’s office chair instead, rather staring at the ceiling than wasting his time on another stupid article.

A tiny knock on the door caught his attention and he snapped back upright to see Historia Reiss walk in with the sulkiest expression. Her scent was unmistakably similar to Rod’s, though in a strange sort of way. Levi was getting out of his chair, ready to escape the situation until he saw teardrops glistening off of her pale cheeks.

“What… happened? Are you sick? My mom isn’t here right now…” he started, unsure of what to do. “I can go get her…”

Historia reached out and grabbed his sleeve, eyes cast downward as she attempted to catch her breath between the shaking cries. A new round of sobbing came about and she practically crumpled into him. He hugged onto her for support and took both of them to the closest bed so they could both sit. “What happened?” he finally asked as softly as he could when her tears began to subside. “Feeling down after presenting?” he guessed as her scent was similar to Eren’s when he had just finished. “Eren mentioned you were just finishing up and back to school today.”

“I…” she began slowly, unable to get the words out before hiccupping once and shaking her head. “This morning… He… I just thought your mom, out of anyone, would understand… Maybe she could… help…”

Between broken words, she rolled up her sleeves to display a series of dark, forming bruises. At the sight, Levi stood abruptly with clenched fists. An explosion of emotion shook through him, most of it being pure anger and fury as his memories replayed at the front of his mind. “What did he do?” Levi asked slowly, trying to keep his voice level.

She froze at his scent and stared at him with huge, winter-blue eyes that were refilling with new streams of tears. “I... should go,” she panicked and started to get up so she could scurry away.

Levi leaned forward and placed his hands on either side of her, trapping her in place. “No, Historia, you’re going to wait here until my mom gets back. You don’t have to talk to me about it, but you need to tell her. You were right, if anyone would understand it would be her.”

Instead of slapping him across the face like Levi had expected her to do, Historia closed the gap between them and hugged onto him tightly. He could feel her body sobbing under him and he tried to be mindful of his pheromones- happy that he’d just taken some suppressants to lessen the potency. The anger still vibrating through him surely effected his scent and would only scare her more.

“Please, don’t tell anyone else. Not even Eren. Okay?” she whispered.

“Okay, I promise,” Levi whispered right back, intent on keeping that promise as well. It wasn’t a matter to be thrown around carelessly or blown off. Levi knew the fear too well to ignore it and he wouldn’t let her suffer like he had. They stayed that way for a while until she calmed down enough to stop crying. It was then the door creaked open and Levi was thankful his mom had returned.

“Oh…” a new voice came out like a squeak from behind them and it wasn’t his mom’s. Levi broke out of the hug to turn toward the doorway. Eren was standing there with his face twisted into both shock and sadness. He paused for just a moment before simply shaking his head and rushing off down the hallway without another word.

A minute later, Kuchel was walking through the door looking confused as ever. “Levi, was Eren in here? He was running down the hallway and crying, is he okay? Did he hurt himself? Oh!” She stopped when she saw Historia. It only took her a moment before looking down at her bruised arms before putting two and two together. “Oh, honey,” she sighed with the utmost sympathy, pushing Levi aside to hug onto the blonde herself.

It was Levi’s cue to leave the two alone, hurrying out into the hallway and wondering which way Eren went. Levi could hear sniffles and sped off toward them. He started down toward the sound before getting stopped by a teacher and getting his ass hauled back to class.

The rest of his day was spent feeling guilty as hell, wondering what the hell was going through Eren’s head and what exactly had made him cry. Levi knew it was his fault, but he wasn’t sure what exactly brought his friend to tears. Not only was he worried over Eren, but he was thinking of Historia too. He couldn’t be sure what he did to her, but whatever it was, it wasn’t right in the slightest. Rod plagued his life as well as his mother’s and the last thing he wanted was for him to torture someone new.

“Hey, Levi, what’s up with the new car?” Oluo asked near the end of class. “Is that yours?”

“Yeah, my uncle got it for me,” Levi answered simply, still completely distracted by his own worries.

“Nice! When everyone’s finished presenting, we should go for a cruise or something!” Oluo laughed. “It’s sort of lonely with a bunch of people missing. At least we’re still here, right?”

“Yeah,” Levi looked around the classroom to see that a lot of his classmates were missing. Presenting seemed to be like the flu at their school, once someone started it cast a presentation-wildfire. He spent his lunch period with his older classmates as they had already presented. Erwin, just as they had all guessed, turned out to be an Alpha. Hange, an Omega. Mike and Nanaba were both Betas. Oluo turned out to be a Beta, though Levi noticed he wore a cologne that had a tinge of Alpha-scent in it. He had a few people believing he was an Alpha, but Levi knew for sure that he wasn’t.

Levi’s mind drifted far from his friends, though. He still couldn’t get over the fact that he had somehow made Eren cry again.

The second class ended, he raced back to his mom’s office where he and Eren usually met up to go home at the end of the day only to find his mother waiting alone. “Eren went home early today,” she said softly, obviously worn out from the events. “And I’m staying here for a meeting with the principal regarding Historia’s situation. Here, take my keys and you can head home if you’d like. I’ll call you when we’re done with the meeting and you can come get me. Okay?”

Levi just nodded and took the keys, holding in his own depression as he drove home alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your support and comments <3 I hoped you enjoyed this chapter (even though it turned out to be sort of sad! I'm sorry!)
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi: 16  
> Eren: 12

Eren watched out his living room window as two new people moved into Levi’s house that weekend: Hannes and Historia. His mother explained it to him quite a few times over and over again: Historia needed to stay with a police officer like Hannes for just a little while. Whenever Eren asked why, she stumbled over her words and only managed to tell him that it was complicated and that Historia needed a new home. After a few weeks of preparation, it was finally happening and his stomach churned with discomfort.

He moved to his bedroom to sulk some more under the guise of doing his homework. After getting his books out, he opened them up and ended up gazing out his window to Levi’s empty bedroom. A very anxious piece of his heart was waiting to see Historia go in there and it was something Eren wasn’t sure he could deal with. He had a connection to that room, he presented in that room, and that room was for _him_ and _Levi_ only. It was their nest, den, and sanctuary away from the rest of the world. He knew their scents still intermingled in there and he selfishly did not want to share that with Historia, no matter how nice and sweet she was.

Holy crap, she was sweet. Eren didn’t think someone so perfect could exist. She was gorgeous with her light hair and blue eyes. Eren knew she had recently presented as an Omega and smelled like vanilla. She was feminine, lovely, and basically a goddess that walked the halls of their middle school. Even before she presented, there were tons of people who wanted to court her and the love letters she received only multiplied after.

The image of her clinging to Levi with her nose brushing against his scent glands plagued Eren’s mind again. He thought about how closely they were pressed together but also the gentle way Levi held onto her. Eren could smell his own sour scent gathering around him, rotten strawberries stinging his nose. Even after a few weeks, the image still hurt his heart. The snow had melted and winter neared its end, but Eren still felt the chill of that very moment.

“Eren?” his dad knocked on his bedroom door and let himself in. “Doing okay? Feeling sick or something?”

“Just a headache,” he lied.

“We’re going over to the Ackerman’s house for dinner tonight. Did you want to come with?”

Eren paused, unsure of what to say. He wanted to go over and defend his turf, showing them that he wasn’t worried and to make sure nothing happened between Levi and Historia. On the other hand, he wanted to chicken out.

Chickening out won.

“I’m going to Mikasa’s,” he spat out, already grabbing his phone to text her. _Can I come eat dinner with you?_ As he grew older, he realized just how close he lived to all his friends. He could get to anyone’s house on his bike, which made for an easy get-away.

“Really?” Grisha cocked his head to the side, honestly surprised. “You never miss dinner at Levi’s.”

“I promised her I would,” he lied again, waiting impatiently for her to text him back. Luckily, just like always, she was there for him. _Sure, come over._ He threw on a baseball hat and a winter jacket and dipped past his dad, “See you later!”

Eren could hear his dad yelling after him, but Eren didn’t mind him. He left through the front door and rushed into the garage to haul his bike out. The street was mostly clear of any ice and Eren huffed his way down the block to Mikasa’s house. He’d only ever been there twice, both brief visits to either pick her up or drop her off. She didn’t offer to have people over a lot, but Eren knew in a desperate time of need- she would be there.

It didn’t take long to get there as he rolled into her driveway and let his bike fall into the grass of her front lawn. He practically ran up to her front door and mashed on the doorbell. She was there in an instant, ready to let him in.

Mikasa’s house was one of the nicer ones on the block with huge ceilings and really nice furniture. Her mom loved to decorate, apparently, and had tons of family photos on the walls. A few in particular caught Eren’s eye, a man in a military uniform. “Wow, Mikasa, I didn’t know your dad was in the military,” he commented, gazing in awe at the cool uniform.

“Oh, yeah, he is. He’s gone a lot because of it,” she talked quietly and steered Eren toward the living room where she had two plates of lasagna sitting on the coffee table. The television was on and muted, some kind of movie was playing that Eren didn’t recognize. Whatever it was, it had a lot of monsters in it which caught Eren’s eye.

He fell onto the leather couch next to Mikasa and the two of them started eating their dinner.

Of course, she asked, “So, what happened?”

“Historia is living with Levi now,” he mumbled, still steaming over the fact.

“Why?”

“They won’t tell me. I guess she needs a new home. What do you think that means?”

Mikasa thought for a moment, taking a few bites of her dinner before deciding, “Maybe her parents abused her.”

Eren set down his fork so he could turn fully to look at her, “You think?”

His friend shrugged, “It’s the only reason she’d have to live with a cop for a while. I’m sure it worked out well so she could go to school while social services make arrangements.”

Mikasa, one of the most mature people he knew, actually had a plausible answer that left Eren feeling guilty as hell for getting upset over the entire ordeal. He felt even worse that he still felt uneasy about the idea of her being so close to Levi. In efforts to distract himself from it, he looked around Mikasa’s empty home. Her giant living room was just a few huge leather couches and a big television on the wall. Through a big archway was the kitchen and dining area, but Eren couldn’t spot anyone around. The staircase led up to a loft, though it seemed fairly empty too. “Where are your parents?” he asked, realizing just how alone they were.

“My dad is away on duty. My mom works late,” she explained shortly.

“Are you alone here a lot?”

She shrugged and nodded, putting her empty plate back on the coffee table before reminding him, “Remember when I told you about sad and happy hurting a really long time ago?”

Eren nodded slowly, remembering the odd piece of advice he’d received when Levi had gone away.

She went on to explain, “It sucks that they’re gone a lot, but I know they only do it for our family. It’s happy hurting, I guess. I know it only hurts because I love them so much and I trust that they’ll come back.”

He put an arm around her, a friendly and comforting gesture, to pull them both into a sideways hug. “If you ever get lonely or sad, you can just call,” he told her honestly. “Armin and I won’t let you get too lonely. Neither would Historia or Ymir or even Jean. And I know that includes Levi’s friends too and the upperclassmen.”

“I know,” she smiled when she said it and rested against him.

“It’s okay to ask for help sometimes, you know,” he chuckled a little, realizing what a hypocrite he was being. Eren hated asking for help and most of the time when he really needed it, Levi would be there without Eren having to ask. It was a special connection they had and he wanted to extend it to Mikasa too. She was always helping him with his schoolwork, his social issues, and all the fights she kept him out of. The least he could do was keep her from getting too lonely.

“I’ll try to ask more often, then,” she promised. “Thank you, Eren.”

Their sappy, emotional conversation faded into laughing at the monster movie that was playing. It was probably supposed to be scary, but the two kept it on mute and made up the dialogue on the fly. After some giggles and even a few shrieks of laughter that Eren had managed to pull from Mikasa later and the credits were rolling. Apparently, that was Mikasa’s cue to ask another deep question, “So, you really like Levi, hm?”

The blush that always crept over Eren’s face returned whenever Levi’s name came up in conversation. A part of him wanted to brush over the topic like he usually did, but the other was dying for someone to confide in. There was no better confidant than Mikasa, so he let it loose, “Yes.”

“Why?” she cocked her head at him. “I mean, I know you’re close and you grew up together. I know you really look up to him. But… this isn’t some kind of hero-crush, is it? And isn’t he kind of… old?”

“Hero-crush? No,” Eren shook his head fiercely. “And he’s not too old, either. I mean, there are tons of people in our grade dating the high-schoolers.” He took a bigger pause to sort his chaotic mix of thoughts. Why did he like Levi so much? There was too much to tell. “He’s my best friend,” Eren shrugged, unable to come up with any better response. “I _do_ look up to him, but that’s only because he’s so cool. He’s nice to me and doesn’t treat me any differently because I’m an… Omega…” It still took him a little while to get the word out.

“Does he like you back?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” Eren sighed. “I want to think he does.”

“I think the entire school thinks he does,” she smiled a little. “Actually, I think the entire school _knows_ he does.”

“Whatever, that’s just a rumor,” Eren rolled his eyes. “Plus, I don’t want to make things weird between us. What if it doesn’t work out? I don’t want to lose my best friend.”

“It wouldn’t work that way. You’d still be friends,” she tried to convince him.

He kept shaking his head, “No, no, no, remember what happened to Hannah and Franz? They were so close, they dated, broke up, and now they can’t even look at each other.”

“They got back together last week,” she informed him. “Plus, that’s Hannah and Franz. It’s not Eren and Levi.” He gave her a doubtful look which caused her to continue, “Eren, no matter what, I know that guy would come chasing you down no matter what. There is no way you two won’t always be best friends.”

A squealing set of tires outside caught both of them off guard. They both jumped a little and looked toward the front door, wondering what was going on. Just a moment later, the doorbell rang followed by a frantic rapping on the door. Through the little glass windows by the front door, Eren could see Levi peering in.

“Levi?” he asked aloud, wondering what the hell he was doing at Mikasa’s house. He left the couch to go open the front door, ready to demand some answers from him. Instead of getting a single word in, though, Levi was pulling him into a crushing hug. Scents splashed Eren in the face like a bucket of cold water. The sweetness of relief, tart fear, sour anger, and a tiny taste of vanilla that Eren tried to ignore. “Fuck, Eren, you scared me,” Levi cursed in a hiss. “It’s pitch black outside, you should be home by now.”

Eren glanced outside to see that it was indeed dark. He left his own house at sunset without even thinking about the upcoming night. “It’s fine,” he gave Levi’s back a pat. “I’ve got my bike, I can just ride home whenever.”

Levi pulled away so he could cup Eren’s cheeks and look him in the eye. “Eren, I know you hate it and I’m sorry, but you can’t be out by yourself in the dark as an Omega. There are tons of shitheads out there that will take you. I know you think you can put up a good fight, and you can, but that won’t stop everyone.”

Eren glared when he could still smell the scent of vanilla on Levi’s clothes, unable to ignore it as it grew in potency the longer he stayed close. It was almost as offending as the fact that his status as an Omega prevented him from riding his bike at night and that Levi was barking it at him.

He was about to spat something back, something he’d probably regret, when Mikasa spoke up. “He’s right, Eren. It’s probably for the best that you go home with Levi.”

Eren knew a two-against-one against Mikasa and Levi was futile. Both would fight him to their death when it came to his safety. He left Levi’s grip to give Mikasa a quick hug goodbye and stamped past Levi out the front door. He grabbed his bike roughly and walked it toward Levi’s car that was haphazardly parked in the driveway and still running. Levi said something to Mikasa and followed Eren out, helping him get his bike into the back seat and watched as Eren plopped himself down in the passenger’s seat of the vehicle.

When Levi had finally gotten into his own seat and started driving home, Eren’s sour scent had already filled the interior of the car. He kept his eyes lowered and he stewed over the irrational anger that he was trying to manage.

How _dare_ Levi act so concerned over him when he had Historia’s scent all over him? How _dare_ he preach to Eren about not going out too late? What was it to him anyway? He wasn’t Eren’s Alpha or even his brother. Why hadn’t his parents called or gotten him instead?

Levi pulled over to park on a random street that was nowhere close to home. Eren turned to look at him, wondering what they were doing only to see Levi staring back at him with an equally stubborn glare.

“What are we doing here?” Eren finally asked.

“I’m not taking us back until you tell me what’s wrong.”

“Just take me home like you wanted,” Eren crossed his arms and sighed. He really didn’t want to fight with Levi, he just wanted to get out of the car before completely spilling his guts and crying.

“Fine, but tell me what’s on your mind first. You can’t really tell me everything is okay with a scent like that.”

“Stop smelling me.”

“Stop stinking up the car with your anger. Fuck, Eren, just tell me what’s going on. Did Mikasa say something?”

“Mikasa didn’t do anything,” he was quick to defend her. “Why did you come get me anyway?”

“I told you, I was worried,” he stated simply before amending, “We were all worried about you. Your parents asked me to come get you. Your dad said he tried to tell you to come back before it got too late, but you had left already.”

“Why didn’t you just call me then?”

“Your phone is dead.”

Eren yanked out his phone from his pocket, ready to show off his full battery and prove his point. Instead, he realized it really had run out of power at some point that evening. “Oh.”

Levi gripped at the steering wheel and stared straight ahead. “Eren, I know as much as you don’t want to be… you’re an Omega. You’re vulnerable in some ways that other people aren’t. But, you’ve also got a lot of things that other people don’t either. Please just promise me you’ll stay in contact with me when you go out like that. Okay?”

“Then promise me there really isn’t anything going on between you and Historia!” Eren finally burst, finding that he couldn’t hold in the truth any longer.

“Historia?” Levi finally turned to meet Eren’s eye again, this time the sternness of his expression had morphed into utter confusion. “Nothing is going on between us.”

“Then why is she at your house now? Why were you guys… hugging?”

Levi hesitated, taking a slight pause before finding the right phrasing. “She’s in a tough spot right now, Eren. The school and a bunch of other adults agreed that she could stay with us because my mom is a nurse, Hannes is a police officer, and Rod isn’t allowed around our house because of the restraining order my mom got.”

It was vague, but brought Mikasa’s theory into the light. The guilt Eren felt before doubled in his gut as he realized there really wasn’t anything going on between Levi and her at all. “Oh,” Eren whispered, dumbfounded again without anything good to say.

They were both quiet then for what seemed like a century. Eren felt completely worthless and embarrassed for assuming the worst and taking out his own fear on Levi. A swell of sadness swept over his heart and he held in the urge to cry.

“What can I do to make you feel better?” Levi asked out of the blue, putting Eren’s storm of self-depreciating thoughts on pause. His tone blew that storm away like a strong, sea wind and made way for a clearer sky in Eren’s mind.

Was there really anything that would make Eren feel better at that time? He didn’t have to think about it too hard, knowing exactly what his body and mind were craving. Without thinking any further into it, he leaned over the center counsel and hugged onto Levi, pressing their necks together and rubbing slightly to share their scents. To Eren’s surprise, Levi didn’t yank away or call him a freak. Instead, he leaned into Eren and hugged him the best he could at the awkward angle.

After that, they both pulled away slowly and didn’t say a word.

Levi finally took him home. The drive was silent yet oddly comfortable. A wash of relief left Eren softly smiling and unable to focus on the bad thoughts he had earlier. In fact, he was downright giddy and his heart felt like it was vibrating in his chest. He’d hugged Levi before, plenty of times, but never like that.

Levi parked and gave Eren a wave goodbye as he reluctantly got out of the car and went back home. After a long lecture about better communication and not going out without discussing it first, he was able to sneak back into his bedroom for the night. The first thing he did was plug in his phone, waiting with a touch of dread at the messages he’d accumulated while it was dead. The moment it sprang back to life, the text messages started rolling in. Surprisingly, most of them were from Levi.

_Levi: Eren? Are you okay?_

_Levi: Eren, I’m getting worried. Did you get to Mikasa’s safely?_

_Levi: I know you’re probably mad at me, but please tell me you’re okay._

_Levi: Look, I’m sorry if you’re upset about Historia. It isn’t what you think._

_Dad: Levi wants to come pick you up from Mikasa’s, he’ll be there soon. We’re going to have a talk when you get home._

Another notification told him he had two voicemails. He listened to the first from his mom. “Eren, it’s me. Your father said you were going to Mikasa’s, but you haven’t been answering any of our calls. Her parents aren’t answering their phones either. We’re worried about you, honey. Please call back soon so we know you’re safe. Levi’s been pacing the living room since he found out you left, I think he wants to come get you for some peace of mind. Maybe I should send Dad to check up on you… oh, wait… Levi? Levi just left to go get you in a rush.” Eren could hear his mom telling Kuchel that Levi had run off before the message ended.

The next was from Levi. “Hey, it’s Levi. I’m coming to get you. I know you’ll be mad about it, but I don’t care right now. Not knowing where you are… Fuck, Eren, you’re scaring me. It’s pitch-black outside and freezing. I might be overreacting but I don’t fucking care anymore. I just need to know you’re okay.”

Eren glanced out his window again, but instead of dreading the thought of Historia being in there or anger over being an Omega, he was smiling to see Levi sitting on his bed resting his head in his hands. Levi didn’t yell at him out of frustration but rather because he truly cared. The realization that the pain he felt was only due to the fact Eren cared so much gave him the courage to hold up his whiteboard to the window with the message: _Come over?_

All he had to do was wait for Levi to look up and see it, and (hopefully) sneak through his bedroom window so Eren could finally tell him how he truly felt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your support! All your comments make me smile like a goon <3 I'm also happy you let you all know that the loveliest [un-agujero-dela-net](https://un-agujero-dela-net.tumblr.com/) has drawn some more art for this story! I am so unbelievably happy at just how cute this is!!!! <3 You can view it [here](https://un-agujero-dela-net.tumblr.com/post/170296329952/levi-and-eren-cuddling-together-from)!
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi: 16  
> Eren: 12

Levi’s head was throbbing and he couldn’t stop gulping down huge breaths. Eren’s sweet scent intermingled with his on his skin and filled the air so heavily that he thought he was going to choke on it. White noise blared in his ears and through his skull as tunnel vision took over and only a few words remained in the empty space.

_Eren is my Omega. Eren needs me. Eren smells so fucking good. Mine. Mine. Mine._

He slowly rocked himself on his bed and dared to glance up. Eren was staring at him with his whiteboard out, but Levi’s vision was too blurry to read the words. All he could do was focus on Eren’s face, his smile, and the way his eyes seemed to pull him in. His feet took him forward, only for him to launch himself into the window and thunk his head on the glass.

He could see Eren say something and then furiously write something else on his whiteboard, but Levi still couldn’t read it. The voices in Levi’s mind grew in volume and in fury.

_Why are we so far apart? Why isn’t he here with me?_

“Levi, I was just getting Historia set up on our couch, and…” Kuchel came into the room but paused in the doorway. Her voice adjusted, quiet and careful, “Honey? Are you feeling okay?”

“Eren…” Levi growled a little, realizing that the new person in his sights was definitely not Eren. He did recognize her as his mother though and opted to take a seat on his bed before tackling her down for invading on his den.

“I guess it has been a while since your last rut…” she muttered to herself before speaking to him again. “Did anything happen between you and Eren this evening, Levi?”

All Levi could do was rub at his neck and wish she’d just leave as soon as possible. She left, much to his pleasure, but returned quickly, much to his displeasure. All of a sudden, she was snapping on plastic things to the door and window frames. The made a move to close the curtains, and that was a little too much for Levi to handle. He let out an inhuman snarl, a warning, to back off.

Eren was pressed up against his window then, knocking on it with his fists and yelling something that Levi couldn’t hear. He was reaching out, struggling to open the thing when his parents ran into his room to calm him down. They behaved much like his own mother, frantically zipping around his room and putting up scent blockers before closing the curtains for good.

“ _No_!” Levi yelled to them, as if they could hear him. His vision on Eren was severed and all that was left was the darkness outside.

His mother closed his curtains in return and spoke quite seriously to him, “I think this is the first time in a long time that Eren has scent-marked you as his own. Between that, your feelings toward him, Historia’s presence, and the stress you’ve been going through… I think you’re going through a rut, Levi. Just hang on through it and it should wear off in a day. I’ll be here for you if you need anything, I promise.”

With that, she left his room and shut the door behind her. He could hear the distinct clicking noise of the lock she had installed from the outside to keep him in. A few minutes later, he could hear Hannes outside. Levi dared to peek out and watch him lock the latches on both his and Eren’s bedroom windows to keep them from opening them. Just like that, his chances at seeing Eren again were gone and Levi was left in his room in a panicked-state.

_How am I supposed to get to him? Where’s my Omega? I’m supposed to be with him, protecting him, taking him._

He threw himself at his pillow, inhaling as deeply as he could in an attempt to find Eren’s scent. Like a bloodhound, he sniffed all around his room until finding the blanket he’d received on his birthday. Eren’s scent was still there and Levi wrapped it around himself in an attempt to find some sort of comfort.

His nose wasn’t the only thing in need of Eren, his entire lower half burned and ached with an urgency that could only be eased in one way.

Clothes were itchy and hot, so he got rid of them. All the while, he never let go of the blanket. In contrast to his clothes, it kept him cool and somewhat level-headed. Normally at this point, he didn’t mind grabbing his laptop and looking up some dirty websites to jack off to but he really didn’t need the help. His mind was filling itself with the one thing Levi craved which felt morally wrong but also too right for him to care.

He needed Eren in his bed with his legs spread, beckoning Levi closer to taste his skin and feel his warmth. What would he feel like under Levi’s body? What would he sound like when they could finally kiss? Levi gripped at his own erection and slowly stroked himself to the thought. The soft skin caught some friction in his palm and he irritably grabbed the lotion on his bedside table for a little lubrication. A shameful corner in Levi’s mind wished he had Eren’s slick instead, knowing just how sweet it would smell (and taste). Levi shuddered at the thought and the newfound coldness on his cock and kept at his even strokes, not even noticing as they got faster and rougher with every passing.

 _This isn’t right,_ he kept thinking. Not because he was masturbating to the thought of his younger best friend, but because he wasn’t mating with him instead.

The scent on his neck was playing with his brain, making him think Eren was there when he really wasn’t. It spurred on that burning in his groin and had him stroking faster, faster, faster.

A sudden swelling at the base of his cock caught his attention, a spot that quickly became extremely sensitive to even the slightest brush of his fingers. A single touch sent shivers up his spine and had him physically shuddering, rasping out a moan. _A knot,_ he deducted with fuzzy logic. _A fucking knot that should have been for Eren._

He groaned in both pleasure and irritation as his hand continued to do all of the work. An orgasm flushed over him as well as a steady stream of come. It didn’t quench his desires, not by a long shot. In the very short moment of rest, he wondered if Eren was okay and decided he couldn’t dance around the truth any longer. He needed to tell Eren how he felt, and he needed to do it fast. Eren was young and had said countless times that he didn’t want a mate whenever anyone asked to court him, but Levi was determined to find a way to change his mind.  

* * *

Everything was hot and Eren felt dizzy. His parents locked him in his bedroom and explained something about a heat, which he really wasn’t paying attention to. All he could think about was Levi, hoping he was okay and wondering what was going on. The second he looked at Eren, his eyes widened like something was wrong. He then smacked into the window as if he could walk right through it, which would have made Eren laugh had he not been overcome by a new sensation ripping through his body.

“Levi…” he whined, wanting to crawl off his bed and peek out of his curtains. When he finally did, he realized Levi’s curtains were shut and their ability to see one another was gone. Their severed view left Eren’s heart pumping in a panic and all he wanted to do was see Levi, to see if he was okay and demand that he come over.

His stubborn soul pushed him to grab onto the window and try to heft it open, deciding that if Levi couldn’t come over Eren would just go to him instead. He unlatched the locks from the inside, only to find it had been locked shut from the outside too.

With a frustrated grunt, he abandoned that plan in hopes for a new one. He grabbed for his cell phone amongst a number of other things lying around his messy room. Levi criticized him for living in such a pigsty but Eren knew where everything was. A few of Levi’s shirts were tucked under his bed, he threw those on top and held one up to his nose while bringing some other stolen items back to his bed such as a pillow from Levi’s bed he had borrowed and a few more of his sweatshirts. When all the items were safely arranged in a sloppy circle on Eren’s bed, he crawled in the middle and burrowed around until his nose was nuzzled into a particularly citrus-scented spot. The heat still bothered him and he needed to get closer to Levi’s scent, so his clothes were effectively torn off and thrown across the room.

In that little nest, he was finally able to relax a little. He couldn’t see Levi, but he could smell him and that was enough. Eren tried to unlock his phone so he could send Levi a text or call him, but his sweaty fingers kept slipping and his lower half kept burning and yearning with needs that couldn’t go unsatisfied. He set his phone aside in favor of reaching down to stroke himself. All he could think of was Levi, the way he smelled, how beautiful he looked, and that smile reserved just for Eren. His voice filled Eren’s head and every little compliment and sweet thing he had ever said replayed in his mind like a broken record. With Levi’s scent on his neck, in his nose, and surrounding him like a protective bubble, Eren whined when he remembered that Levi wasn’t actually _there_ to help fulfill his needs.

It was like presenting all over again. So close, yet so far away.

Eren dug under his bed some more to find a few toys Kuchel had gotten him during presenting. After being thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, they didn’t smell like Levi at all and he felt wrong even looking at them. Still, he needed _something_ and he needed it _fast_. It was so easy to plunge the dildo inside his wet hole and it soothed the aching in his gut a little bit.

He couldn’t stop thinking with the most stubborn part of his brain. _Levi, you definitely did this to me. And if you did it, you should be the one to fix it._

It got Eren thinking about all the different ways Levi could have fixed it, all the ways he could have satisfied Eren’s needs for days on end. With that amount of muscle and stamina, he’d have no problem using a bit of force to rattle Eren’s bones and thrust into him fully. Eren could have lay back and let his Alpha take the reins in pushing and pulling and rocking Eren’s world. He’d have a knot that could stretch him to the max and give him exactly what he truly wanted.

“Fuck…” he groaned, hoping it wasn’t loud enough for his parents to hear. He didn’t use the word often, only when he really needed to let it out. As he came on himself, he definitely needed some sort of expletive to couple it and the intensity it held.

It wasn’t like he hadn’t jerked off to the thought of Levi before (whether it was peeping at him through the window or just a string of dirty dreams). Still, his heat seemed to make everything stronger. In just a few minutes, his cock was hard and straining again and Eren used some of his slick as a lubricant to pleasure himself yet again. And again. And again.

Eventually, it got to the point where he wished he could just go to bed. It brought a new round of daydreams, such as Levi holding him tightly into the night. Eren wanted to curl up against him and breathe in that warm, comforting citrus-scent as he drifted off. He wanted his body to melt into Levi’s in the most relaxed way, allowing him to fall into a deep sleep. The best part was that when he’d wake up, Levi would still be there holding onto him with no intentions of letting go.

Eren buried his blushing face into a pillow and wondered if his dreams would ever become a reality. After gaining the courage to finally confess his true feelings, he ended up falling into a mess of dirty fantasies and heat-driven orgasms. A part of him wondered if the same sexual pull overtook Levi as well. Did his scent drive Levi a little crazy too? Is that why he looked so panicked before?

Eren figured he wouldn’t find out, not without asking the most embarrassing question. _Did you go into a rut after I scent-marked you?_ How the hell could he ask Levi something like that? He’d already taken a chance by rubbing their necks together in a tight embrace, but asking him about a rut?

The image of Levi in a rut danced around Eren’s head and it was an entirely new round of intense, messy masturbation. Eren flipped onto his belly and frotted against Levi’s pillow while working the dildo in and out of him with his free hand. Slick dripped down his fingers and Levi’s pillow was destroyed. It wasn’t perfect, but it did the trick until he could finally calm down once more.

He willed himself to not think of Levi or anything remotely sensual as if it would help the heat pass a little faster. The fact he was surrounded by an unofficial museum of Levi’s things Eren had managed to steal didn’t help his goal and ended up keeping him up half the night in a haze.

Throughout the haze, he managed to hold onto one gleaming truth. Levi needed to know how he felt, no matter what. Eren was going to find a way to prove to Levi that he wasn’t his bratty, little neighbor kid. He was going to make Levi fall in love with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO SORRY, guys, but I will not be able to reply to your comments on the last chapter. I am not feeling well today, but I really wanted to get this chapter out to help relieve some of the tension from the last one! I know this isn't how a lot of you thought it would go, but I think... it's a bit more fun this way... ^^ (The entire time I couldn't stop feeling bad for Historia... hopefully she didn't hear too much...) Anyway, I'll tell you here: Thank you all so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I read every comment and they all make me smile so much, it truly gives me the inspiration and motivation to keep moving along with this story.
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	36. Chapter 36

Eren couldn’t concentrate in class with all the pink and red heart-themed decorations strewn about the entire school and love notes being passed around like some kind of street drug. A certain romantic confidence seemed to boost everyone’s ability to confess their undying love and secret crushes, giving anyone a chance to finally be with the person they’d dreamed about for forever. Not only was there love in the air, but also a very potent jealousy that panged through Eren’s heart whenever he saw a new person shove a love letter into the little slots of Levi’s locker or have one of their friends deliver it for them. He’d lost count of the sheer number of confessions Levi had gotten that day and he had no way of knowing if he returned their affections or not.

He opened his own locker and watched as the heart-shaped cards and envelopes fluttered out and fell to the floor in a tiny heap. With a little grumble, he gathered them up and shifted through them in hopes to see Levi’s handwriting gracefully scrawled across one of the notes. Instead, it was just a bunch of upperclassmen Alphas and a few Betas too. None of them were from Levi, which left him sighing and stuffing he notes into the bottom of his backpack.

“Hey.” Eren looked up to see Mikasa leaning against the locker next to his. She had a pack of candy hearts in her hand and extended it his way. “Looks like you’ve got a lot of confessions.”

“Yeah,” he shrugged and took the candies with a little thank you. He opened them right up and started devouring them in his own frustrations. He then realized what his mother meant by ‘stress-eating’. “What about you?”

“I haven’t really presented yet, but…” she dug into her pack pocket and pulled out eight envelopes. “I got a few, yeah. Not nearly as many as you. Have you gotten one from…?”

“No,” Eren answered right away with a sulky frown. “Would it be weird if I did something for him?”

She shook her head. “Omegas ask others out all the time. It isn’t the stone ages, Eren. Just go for it.”

He chewed on his lip, wondering how the hell he’d even approach Levi about it. There had been countless times that his sheer determination for voicing his feelings took over and he had the words at the tip of his tongue, but he could never get them to come out. Did he need to do something romantic, like a big gesture? Or could he just outright say it? “I’ll think about it,” he finally said, gathering up his books for their next class and following her to it.

Eren didn’t regret telling Mikasa about his feelings for Levi in the slightest. She turned out to be the best confidant he could have ever asked for and helped him keep a level head about the raging emotions spilling from his heart. Not long after, he confided in Armin as well who just laughed and said he already knew. Apparently, Eren wasn’t as inconspicuous about his crush as he’d previously thought.

“Jaeger,” Jean rushed up to him and Mikasa with a strange look on his face. “Have you seen Armin?”

“No,” Eren looked to Mikasa who just shook her head too. “I think he’s sick or something,” Eren decided after not having seen his blond friend the entire day.

“Oh…” Jean looked disappointed and pulled out a few little boxes from his bag. “Well, here. I’ll give these to you two now, then.” He handed them each a little box that was wrapped beautifully.

“Did you make these?” Mikasa asked, poking at the glittering pink bow.

“Yeah, I did,” Jean scratched at the back of his neck and blushed before throwing on an annoyed scowl and barking at them, “What? It’s Valentine’s Day! Aren’t you _supposed_ to give things to the people you care about?”

Eren just laughed and gave Jean a little slap on the arm. “Who knew you were such a romantic?” He dug into his own bag and pulled out a little drawstring baggie filled with store-bought treats, handing it to his friend with a little smile and giving one to Mikasa too. His mom made them all and told him to pass them out to his friends in the spirit of the holiday, though Eren had been a little too consumed with stalking Levi’s every interaction rather than giving them out.

All throughout class, ideas popped into Eren’s head on how to make Levi fall for him. Every one of them seemed great at first before he realized just how cheesy and stupid they were. He mentally scraped them and started anew, repeating the cycle until it was time for lunch.

Eren, Mikasa, and Jean joined up with Ymir and Historia at their table with lunch trays in hand. After several weeks, Historia was still living at Levi’s house and still had that citrus-scent on her. It was hardly noticeable, even Ymir didn’t sense it, but Eren did. He and Historia hadn’t spoken much since she moved in and whenever she saw him, she blushed and started chatting with Ymir in a non-stop fashion as if to prevent any opportunity for Eren to speak with her.

He decided it was safe to say she seemed more interested in Ymir than Levi, but a biting demon inside his heart still felt a certain envy toward her for being so close to him. She was beautiful, funny, and sweet- the perfect Omega. What if that was the type of person Levi liked? What if he didn’t like boys?

Ymir was hand-feeding Historia chocolates and cooing something about how cute the blonde was. “Let’s just run away and get married, okay? Let me adopt you and keep you forever!”

Historia hummed, nodded, and munched away happily. She seemed to smile more with every passing day, which Eren was glad to see. He had to push his own selfishness aside and remember to be grateful that she was in the safest place she could ever be. Eren couldn’t imagine what it would be like, not feeling safe at home and fearing his parents. It seemed like a nightmare and it was hard to believe Historia lived through it and could still find the strength to smile. He really couldn’t be upset with her, not after what she’d been through.

“Eren Jaeger?” an upperclassman tapped on Eren’s shoulder. He swiveled around to see a guy he’d never talked to before. Eren cocked his head to the side, waiting for the Alpha to speak. “They really weren’t kidding when they said you had beautiful eyes,” they finally laughed out. “Wow, you’re stunning.”

“Uh, thanks?” Eren awkwardly smiled at the compliment and looked around the room to see several people staring at them.

“I know you turned down quite a few Alphas and Betas, but you won’t turn me down, will you?” He leaned forward, putting his two hands against the lunch table to trap Eren in. “I think it’s just because no one has really figured you out yet, Eren. You don’t seem like the type to just roll over and let just anyone walk all over you. I think you require a little more forwardness.”

It was exactly what Eren had been dreading.

“Hey, leave him alone,” Mikasa interjected herself, standing and ready to claw the guy away.

He ignored her and leaned in even closer to the point where Eren couldn’t smell anything except for the thick, dominating scent of an Alpha that threatened to force his body into a submissive paralysis. “So, what do you say?”

“If this is your idea of a romantic gesture, it’s terrible,” Eren muttered, trying not to breathe so much. “I’ll tell you like I’ve told everyone, I’m not interested in courting.” _Anyone other than Levi Ackerman,_ Eren wanted so badly to tack on to the end of his sentence.

“I think the right person just hasn’t come around. And, oh look, I’m here and ready to make you mine!” the Alpha smartly replied with a little smirk, thinking he was being clever or witty.

A hand came over the Alpha’s shoulder and tore him back away from the table. The Alpha stumbled away from Eren and whipped around to see Levi standing there with an icy scowl. “He said back off,” Levi grumbled, keeping that firm stare on his face.

“Look, I know you’re obsessed with him, Ackerman, but he obviously doesn’t like you back. If he actually wanted you, you’d have him already. And guess what? You don’t. I think _you’re_ the one who should be backing off,” the Alpha crossed his arms and stepped between Levi and Eren.

Levi raised a fist and took one step forward, prepared to punch the guy. Before he could take another step, Kuchel’s voice came out of nowhere. “Levi!” she yelled, stomping over with her lunch bag in hand. “My office. Now. You too, Eren.”

“I didn’t do anything…” Eren softly whined, but Kuchel’s face didn’t allow for any more complaint. He grabbed his backpack, waved goodbye to his friends, and slumped as he followed her and Levi to the nurse’s office.

Not only was it humiliating to be approached by such a forward Alpha and have his friend try to fight that Alpha, but even worse when the school nurse was yelling at him and telling him to go to her office. Eren’s face was a stark red shade as he took the long and shameful walk down the halls until they reached Kuchel’s office. He used to visit her quite frequently whenever his pheromones were acting up or if he needed a friendly face to chat with. Instead of the friendly atmosphere, however, it seemed rather dark and gloomy. Eren blamed it on Levi’s sour scent that was quickly filling the room.

Levi and Eren sat on the two beds in her office, the two facing one another. Kuchel dropped two large, white pills in Levi’s hand and instructed him to take them. She sat in her rolling desk chair and sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “You could have hurt that boy, Levi,” she sighed.

“Sorry,” he mumbled. It was the only explanation he gave her.

“I know we talked about this multiple times. No fighting. If you feel angry or the need to punch something, you will come in here straight away.”

“I wasn’t going to leave him to fend for himself!” Levi burst, standing up from the bed and facing her. It was strange seeing them at nearly the same height, he was almost looking down at her. “There’s a bunch of Alpha-ass-wipes out there that don’t care about Omegas like we do! That guy was probably going to force Eren into submission, I could smell it! I had to do something. I had to protect him.”

“You could have gotten a teacher.”

“There were plenty around and _none_ of them chose to interject. They never do. You, of all people, should know just how badly Omegas are treated.”

She was quiet for just a moment before taking another deep breath and pushing past Levi to get to Eren instead. She knelt down by the bed and softly explained, “I’m sorry I pulled you away like that. I knew it would be better to remove you from that situation than to just take Levi away. You definitely didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Oh…” Eren got out between the emotions flooding through his mind and heart. Between Levi’s words and Kuchel’s pleasant and comforting scent, it was difficult for Eren to be upset. He just smiled and thanked her softly, busying his hands with the strings on his sweatshirt.

“With your pheromones, I think it’d be best for you to just go home, Levi,” Kuchel spoke without looking at her son. “And what about you, Eren? How are you feeling after all this?”

“I’m, uh, fine,” Eren lied. Really, he wanted to latch onto Levi and scream at the top of his lungs that he didn’t want the Alpha to leave. The sooner Levi left, the sooner another would be attempting to dominate him into submission and into a forced courting. Levi was right, no one would interrupt something like that. It happened all the time, especially with the stronger Alphas who knew exactly how to bend people into getting them to do as they were told. Eren prided himself on not being one to easily back down, but he couldn’t even trust his own instincts to not bow down to a strong Alpha.

She could tell he was lying too and took his hands in hers. “You’re shaking,” she smiled into the comment, teasing him a little about the obvious lie. “And your scent is a bit out of control, I’d say.”

Eren didn’t even notice how his pheromones were wrapping around him, sending out a distress call to any nearby Alpha (Levi, in particular) with a taste and scent in tune with his emotions. They must have pierced through the medications he took to control them in the heat of the moment.

“Would you be okay if Levi took you home for the day? I’ll let your teachers know. Otherwise, you’d just be sitting in here waiting for your scent to calm down for a few hours. I think you’ll have an easier time handling this at home where you feel safe,” she explained. “I think your mom is there if she isn’t out grocery shopping or at her self-defense class.”

Eren finally nodded, eager to get out of enduring another few hours of receiving confessions and love notes that he’d never respond to and the potential of being cornered again. He started to yearn for the interior of Levi’s car where the small space was saturated in the Alpha’s comforting scent.

“I trust you won’t do anything unsavory,” Kuchel muttered to Levi as she slid back to her computer to write a few emails. “Eren, I’ll let your mom know that you’re on your way home and tell her what happened. I just let your teachers and counselor know you’ll both be absent from class for the rest of the day. Go on, then. I’ll see you, Levi, when I get home and mind your scent so you don’t spook Historia.”

Both boys hurried out of her office and stopped at their respective lockers on their way out. Eren blushed and turned away when he saw a new round of love notes falling out of Levi’s locker like confetti. He blushed some more when he opened his own to find the same scenario. With Valentine’s gifts and cards shoved into their bags, they were on their way out of the building and the blast of fresh, cool air left Eren feeling better.

He felt the need to say something to Levi, but he wasn’t sure what. The range of sentences strung together as he waited for some kind of prompt to let one out.

_Are you feeling okay?_

_Thank you for what you did today._

_I didn’t mean it when I said I didn’t want anyone to court me._

_Did you decide to court someone today? Did you let your crush know how you felt?_

_Levi, I really like you._

None of them came out. Levi’s scent was a mixture between anger and something new that Eren couldn’t define. It didn’t make for a chatty atmosphere and didn’t go away until they were both secure in the car. Eren inhaled deeply to fill his lungs with a sweet citrus scent that could always turn his scowl into a smile. Even Levi seemed to relax too as his body language became less rigid and aggressive.

The radio was playing old, romantic songs in the spirit of the holiday. Eren half-listened as he tried to find the right words to say and attempted not to stare at Levi too much. It was difficult when everything he ever wanted in the world was sitting right next to him.

_Wise men say only fools rush in, but I can’t help falling in love with you._

It seemed so obvious as the words seemed to stare him right in the face, a constant whisper in his brain that yearned to become a voice. It took him the entire ride home to muster up those few seconds of courage he needed to get them out and into the light.

_Shall I stay? Would it be a sin? If I can’t help falling in love with you._

“Hey, Levi?” Eren asked, finally, turning to face his best friend. Levi put the car in park in his driveway and turned to look right back at Eren with expectant eyes. His scent was no longer one of rage or violence, but rather the opposite. It clouded around him in warm, comforting, and happy blanket that draped over Eren as well. The snowy, frigid landscape outside the car was nothing compared to the summer scents of oranges and strawberries intermingling in a fresh and sunny harmony.

_Like a river flow, surely to the sea. Darling, so it goes some things were meant to be._

“Yes, Eren?” Levi asked and Eren realized he’d taken a little too long to speak. He’d gotten so caught up in just the image of Levi, he’d forgotten he was saying anything at all. As always, his best friend had a way of stunning him into an awe-filled silence. Everything about Levi seemed to demand Eren’s attention in the best way.

_Take my hand, take my whole life too. ‘Cause I can’t help falling in love with you._

“I like you, more than anything. I like you, more than anyone. I’ve liked you for a _really_ long time now. Do you like me back?”

_‘Cause I can’t help falling in love with you._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few long-awaited words, I hope you all enjoyed the outcome <3 A Valentine's Day theme seemed appropriate as it is only a few days away where I live! Thank you all so so so much for your support, artwork, comments, kudos, ect. It makes me a very happy mitten <3 
> 
> Song Mention: [Can't Help Falling In Love](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGJTaP6anOU)
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eren: 12  
> Levi: 16

Levi could hardly believe the words coming out of Eren’s mouth. After an entire day of worrying over all the confessions flying around the school and the love letters stuffed into Eren’s locker, hours of gut-clenching anxiety that Eren would actually accept someone’s offer to court him, Eren ended up asking Levi instead. But, then again, Levi could believe it. After so much time ponder over Eren’s feelings, it all became clear. Eren _did_ like him more than a friend and more than a brotherly figure. It wasn’t immature clinginess, but rather true affection.

Just as Levi’s hopes and dreams were coming true, the nightmare fell upon him as well. He was an Alpha with uncontrollable pheromones. He’d grown up seeing what Alphas could do to Omegas and how badly a broken bond hurt his mother. He observed the obsessive behavior of a bond gone wrong. The last thing he’d ever want was for Eren to suffer the same consequences at Levi’s own hand no less.

“Levi?” Eren said softly after a moment. He was chewing on his lip nervously as he waited for a reply. Those big eyes were staring at him and made him feel weak, made him want to feel his own true feelings as well.

He nodded slowly, ready to voice his affections as well as his worries as well. He wanted to court Eren, but with a disclaimer as well. Levi wanted to take things slowly and carefully. He wanted to make sure they both felt comfortable the entire time. He wanted to promise that he’d do his best and that he wanted to make sure the two of them lasted longer than for a few weeks like some of the other couples at their school. “I like you too, Eren. A lot. I’ve liked you… for forever, really. But…”

 _Knock, knock, knock_. Both boys jumped in their seats to look out Eren’s window where Carla was looking in with a big smile on her face. When she caught their attention, she opened up Eren’s door and greeted them, “Hey, boys! I just got Kuchel’s message saying you both had a bit of a blunder at school. I just finished baking, would you like to come in for a cup of tea and some fresh bread? It might help calm you both down!” For once, her cheerful voice and warm smile couldn’t tame Levi’s racing heart. “It’s getting cold out here. Come on inside before you both catch a cold.”

“O-okay,” Eren agreed with his mouth still hanging open at the abrupt and untimely interruption. He glanced between his mother and Levi for just a moment before slowly leaving the vehicle and following her down the shoveled sidewalk and into their house. Levi trailed behind them too, watching Eren carefully and regretting that he didn’t get his words out just a few seconds earlier. _But…_ the single word hung between them and threatened to turn Levi’s true feelings into something that would harm Eren.

They walked into Eren’s house like they had a million times before, but with a new tension that Levi didn’t like. Eren’s scent was uncertain and even frustrated. Carla’s was comforting and encouraging. She obliviously led them into the kitchen and started doling out buttered slices of warm bread and turning on the kettle. Levi nibbled at the treat slowly and Eren did as well. Carla busied herself around the kitchen, finishing up some dishes and in the sink and pouring mugs of tea when the water was ready. Every minute seemed to last forever. Levi wasn’t going to resume their earlier conversation with her around, that was for certain. It was awkward enough divulging his feelings to Eren and it would be downright mortifying to do it in front of his mother too. “I’m just going to go change,” she _finally_ excused herself, dusting off her pants and ruffling Eren’s hair.

The second she walked out of the room, Levi continued his sentence off where it ended nearly twenty minutes prior. “I like you too, Eren, but I don’t want to disappoint you. I don’t want to hurt you either.”

Eren cocked his head to the side with a mouthful of bread. He spoke with his mouth full, “Disappoint me? Hurt me?”

“I know what Alphas are capable of and… it’s not good,” Levi shrugged, staring at the ground in shame. “I can’t even control my pheromones around you.”

“So, you… _don’t_ like me…” Eren mumbled, swallowing hard.

“No, I like you _too much,_ ” Levi amended, giving Eren a little poke on the nose. “Don’t be stupid. You _know_ I like you.”

“I do _not_!” Eren’s face was red in an instant and he shouted a little too loudly for it to be casual.

“What was that?” Carla popped back into the room wearing some more casual clothes. “Did you say something, Eren?”

“Nothing,” he quickly spat out, covering his face with his hands and turning away from her toward his tea cup. She gave them both a funny look before shrugging it off and resuming her household tasks elsewhere.

“You know, I _have_ caught you peeping at me more often than usual lately. You little sneak. And, you notice I’ve never said a word. You’re smart. You know I feel the same way you do,” Levi reminded him warmly. “I just… Eren, I _really_ don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t,” Eren dropped his hands from his face in favor of speaking sincerely and looking Levi firmly in the eye. “You can’t. You never have and you never will. I know it. And if you do, I’ll punch you square in the nose without any hesitation.”

“If I do, I’d gladly take that punch and several more,” Levi smiled.

They were quiet for just one moment before Eren started grinning. “So… you’re going to court me?”

It was too adorable, the way his cheeks were still tinted pink and his smile seemed to gleam. With those big, green eyes, how could anyone say no? The things that used to stand in Levi’s way seemed smaller. Eren’s age, his fear of hurting the Omega, and the uncertainty of himself as a good boyfriend dropped aside with that precious look from Eren. “Of course,” Levi ruffled Eren’s hair softly and let his hand drop to Eren’s cheek. It turned a typically friendly and casual gesture into one that meant something so much more. His wrist deliberately rubbed up against Eren’s neck, the first step to an official courting: scent-marking his intended. It’d make that citrus scent that normally hovered around Eren even stronger and more defined than ever.

Levi wasn’t completely daft when it came to courting. In ancient times, it was how an Alpha would prove their worth to an Omega. Later, it became a cruder form of claiming an Omega- with or without their permission. It then turned into a set of tasks one had to complete in order to woo their intended. In modern days, it ended up as a complex combination of all. It was a little more than just dating, but it definitely didn’t include sword fights to the death anymore.

Eren leaned into his touch, accepting it and holding his own wrists up to Levi’s neck as well. The potent, sweet, refreshing tang of strawberries mixed in with his own scent and the entire room filled with the fruity scents of summer. Levi had longed for Eren’s scent on him for so long, it almost seemed unreal to have Eren offering it up willingly and directly.

Their scent-marking turned into an awkward hug as they leaned over in their seats to latch onto one another. Even so, it was still perfect. They’d hugged countless times before, but again, it was different and filled with a newfound affection, one without the bounds of uncertainty or fear.

Levi couldn’t stop thinking _finally._ After so long of dancing around the thing he truly wanted most, it was right there in his arms where it belonged. Eren’s warmth was heating up Levi’s entire body, as if he were embracing the sun.

* * *

Eren’s heart wouldn’t stop slamming against his chest in a happy dance. His entire body felt as it if were vibrating with excitement. The scents curling around him made him smile even harder and he hoped to never let Levi go. There were so many things he wanted to say and divulge to his new courter, but they could all wait in lieu of sharing a long-awaited embrace.

Apparently, his mother didn’t get the memo and popped back in to see the two of them hugging. Eren jolted back, embarrassed. In his movement, Levi took his hand and held it in his to keep them linked together. She glanced at their intertwined fingers and smiling faces a few times before putting it all together.

“Is this what all the ruckus today is about? You two are courting?” Carla started laughing. “That’s lovely, boys. It really is. I’d say it’s about time.”

“About time?” Eren squinted at her.

“We all knew it’d happen eventually. You spent your entire childhood calling Levi your mate, it was only a matter of time,” she grinned.

“I… did…?” Eren’s face re-heated up as the flash of memories buzzed right back to him. With every new little bit of realization, it seemed silly to have worried about Levi’s feelings toward him. The entire time, Levi was waiting and ready.

Now, Eren felt as though he never wanted to let go ever again.

“You made me promise we’d get married,” Levi began to tease with a little smirk on his face.

“And that you’d get tons of cats and dogs,” Carla added with growing excitement.

“And name them all after his favorite characters from the movies we used to watch all the time,” Levi chuckled, giving Eren’s hand a little squeeze.

“I was really hoping for this,” Carla calmed down from her giggles. “I honestly couldn’t have imagined anyone else stealing my Eren’s heart away. Let me just give Kuchel a call and I’ll leave you both alone for a moment.” Within minutes, both of them could hear Carla exclaiming in the other room. “They did it! Before Eren’s birthday! I win the bet! You owe me dinner, missy!”

“Apparently, we weren’t as inconspicuous as I thought,” Levi mumbled.

“Who do you think knows?”

Little did Eren know, the answer to his question was answered the next day at school with a series of “I told you so’s”, more lost and won bets on the date of their courtship, and all of their friends laughing and shouting, “Finally!”

But beyond the first few days as everyone figured it out, things bled back into a happy normalcy. Instead of yearning to reach out and hold Levi’s hand, Levi was already grabbing for Eren’s. Instead of glaring at anyone who asked for Levi’s courtship, Eren’s scent kept them away. Instead of dreading more confessions or pushy offers of courtship, Eren could rest easily.

A lot of things hadn’t changed, though. The two still sat separately at lunch with their friends and only met up before and after school. They worked on their homework together, Levi lending a helping hand whenever Eren got stuck or needed someone to read his essays. Their families still ate dinner together and the two of them usually snuck away to goof off or play a game later in the evening. The main different of it all was that happy warmth in Eren’s heart, knowing that he finally felt like things were right in his world.

* * *

“You look cheerful,” Historia noted as she lounged on the couch with a book in hand. She still hadn’t found a new home and had more or less taken residence with the Ackerman family. With the assurance of Rod’s distance and no complaints, there was no rush in getting her adopted by a new family. Apparently, the police were still looking for the missing Rod Reiss in hopes to arrest him and put him away for good which made Levi’s blood boil. The guy deserved a lifetime in prison, but only ended up in an endless game of chase.

Still, he didn’t mind Historia’s presence. They cleared out a second bedroom for her and managed to get back some of her possessions left behind in her empty residence. Even her neglectful mother left town, most likely with Rod at her side.

“Eren’s birthday is coming up,” Levi responded, sitting in the armchair with a laptop in hand. He’d been searching for a perfect gift for weeks. While he got Eren a gift every year, it seemed pertinent to give him an even better one as they were courting. Alphas were expected to offer their intended gifts to show their thoughtfulness and resourcefulness. While Levi knew Eren wasn’t materialistic in the least, he felt as though it needed to be special.

“It is, isn’t it?” Historia set her book down to look at Levi. “What are you going to get him?”

“I have no idea,” he answered honestly, scrolling through a few online shops in hopes to generate some ideas. He was running out of time and needed to order something soon. “What should I get him?” he asked Historia.

She thought for a moment, leaning back into the cushions. “What’s he been really into lately?”

“Holding my hand,” Levi answered with a smile. It was all Eren ever wanted to do, even if they were doing something mundane or routine. He even held it while Levi was driving, which Levi always told him was dangerous but Eren said he wouldn’t mind dying holding Levi’s hand in a car crash. It was morbid but also sort of cute too.

“Cheeky bastard. Okay, Romeo, how about something romantic, then? Flowers? Candies? Jewelry?” she suggested while rolling his eyes at the sappy comment. It wasn’t like Levi to be so soft, but Eren’s romantic influence was rubbing off on him. “Or maybe you could take him out on a date or something? I don’t think you two have really been on a date yet, haven’t you?”

“Not really,” Levi admitted. They were both busy with school activities, family dinners, and their friends. He wondered how anyone could spoil their intended when life was so demanding and eventful.

“There you go, that can be your gift!” Historia clapped her hands together. “Now, go ask Ymir if she’ll take me out on a date too.”

“Has she still not asked you about it yet?” Levi sighed. He had grown used to Historia’s complaints about Ymir’s hesitations.

“I thought the day I presented as an Omega, she’d ask. She’s the best Alpha I know, no offense, and always said she wanted to marry me. Do you think she was just joking?”

“She’s probably just nervous,” Levi shrugged. “Or trying to be courteous of your situation. Maybe she thinks you hate Alphas after what happened…”

“Maybe…” Historia flopped down onto her back and dropped her book to the floor in desperation. “I’m tired of waiting.”

“Why don’t you ask her, then?”

“Omegas aren’t supposed to be the ones to ask for a courtship,” Historia pouted. “Though, I guess Eren was the one who proposed it to you, didn’t he?”

“He did,” Levi smiled. “He’s just like that. Always forward.”

“He is…” she agreed and popped back up. “Okay, I’ll ask her. But, if she says yes, you have to drive us to our dates.”

“Deal,” Levi agreed right away, happy to see Historia so fired up. “Just don’t get any ideas about sharing heats or ruts. I’d have to tear her away from you if she gets any funny ideas about that.”

Historia waltzed over to flick him on the forehead. “Don’t worry about it, she may be frisky but she’s also fairly traditional too. She even opens doors for me and everything. So, she wouldn’t do anything unsavory. Perhaps I should be saying the same thing to you…? I bet the moment Eren gets a heat, he’ll be fighting his way here to get to you.” She giggled at the thought. “I can just see him breaking down the front door with his baseball bat. Or maybe crashing through your bedroom window.”

It was something that hadn’t occurred to Levi. He figured he could keep himself controlled during a rut, but Eren was something else. He wasn’t a stereotypical Omega, weak and quick to roll onto their belly and submit. Eren was one of a kind, and a handful as well.

“I’ll worry about it when the time comes, I guess. I’m sure his parents will help keep him contained,” Levi shrugged. There wasn’t much else to do but wait and see. “He’s still really young. I don’t plan on doing anything anyway.”

“Whatever you say,” she replied in a sing-song voice, heading to her room. “I’ll be giving you a swift punch in the jaw if you hurt him or take advantage of him. Watch your step, Ackerman. That’s what I’m supposed to say as Eren’s friend, right?”

“Yeah, good job,” Levi laughed back. He resumed his futile search for the perfect gift. They were finally together after so many years of anxiously waiting. Levi wanted to make it a day for him to remember. What was something Eren had been longing for? What was something that was sure to make him smile? He wracked his brain for some kind of hint or clue. Eren deserved the entire world, which wasn’t exactly something Levi could wrap up in a nice gift bag with “Happy Thirteenth Birthday” written on it. What the hell was he supposed to get for a boy who deserved the entire world? He was already the center of Levi’s, so how could the Alpha let him know?

Levi wandered into his bedroom and peeked out his window to see Eren focused on cleaning his bedroom. His whiteboard was set up against the window with tons of hearts drawn all over it and Levi’s heart swelled with affection. He grabbed his own and set it up with even more hearts drawn on it to match Eren’s and set it up against the window as well.

With that, Levi decided on the perfect gift- one that would show Eren just how much he meant to Levi and (hopefully) prove his worth to Eren as a potential mate. It was going to be a bright, new year of Eren’s life and Levi planned on bringing it in with the best day ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! I am so happily overwhelmed with your responses to the last chapter and I have read them all with a smile. I hope you enjoyed the continuation of this long-awaited confession and I am very excited to begin the newest phase of Levi and Eren's life together! <3 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	38. Chapter 38

“Happy birthday, Eren!” another one of his classmates yelled from across the room. Eren waved and smiled, thanking them with a shout. At first, he sulked over having his birthday on a school day. After receiving all the attention, however, he soon changed his mind. It was fun getting to be with his friends and he was lucky enough to not have any tests or quizzes either. When lunchtime came, he was all smiles and giggles.

Before he could make it to the line to get his food, a hand caught him by the forearm and pulled him to a stop. Eren whipped around to see Levi standing there with a funny little smile. “Hey,” he greeted. “Want to head out for a change of scenery?”

“Sure!” Eren was quick to agree. He followed Levi as he snuck out of the cafeteria and down the hall toward his mom’s office. The nurse’s office became a haven for the both of them, a perfect place to hide away when things got stressful or if they just needed to relax. Kuchel was always nice enough to not say anything unless they hung around for too long.

When Levi opened the door, Eren’s eyes lit up. Colored balloons and streamers were hung around the room. A card table was set up with two chairs, decorated with a white table cloth and more streamers.

“Seriously?” Eren laughed with a huge grin on his face. He couldn’t believe Levi went to so much trouble for him.

“Seriously,” Levi crossed his arms and smiled too, leading the way to the table. “I got your favorite kind too.”

He wasn’t lying as Eren practically drooled at the sight of the steaming pepperoni pizza sitting in the center of the table. The two of them didn’t hesitate to dig in. Pizza beat the regular school lunch any day, plus Eren got to chat with Levi without any interruptions, teasing or snarky comments from their friends. While he loved all of his friends and their company, it wasn’t easy to show any sort of affection toward Levi without getting teased for it.

On top of that, with after school activities and homework it had been difficult for them to get any sort of alone time at all. Their parents became crafty in their methods of keeping them supervised and their friends were nosy enough to insert themselves into their attempts at a real date. Everything Eren had really wanted to do was stifled by his own embarrassment of public affection. So, a private lunch in the nurse’s office was the perfect way to finally get a little time together. It didn’t have to be super romantic or a grand gesture. Eren just wanted to be with Levi, plain and simple.

“Excited for your birthday dinner tonight?” Levi asked, plucking off a pepperoni off of the last piece of pizza and chomping down on it.

“Well, yeah,” Eren laughed.

“Are you sure you didn’t want some big party this year? You always do some kind of party.”

“Nah,” he shook his head. “I’d just rather have dinner like we always do.”

“Why’s that?”

He shrugged and looked toward the table with a bit of anxiety. “We don’t get to hang out like we used to. It just seems like everything gets in our way.”

“I know,” Levi agreed with a sad smile. “Everyone’s gotten quite nosy about us, hm?”

“I mean, it’s not like anything is really that different,” Eren sighed. “It’s still just us.”

“You’re right, it is just us,” Levi reached across the table and took Eren’s hand in his, enveloping it into a familiar and comforting warmth. Eren wanted so badly to lean across the table and steal a kiss from Levi’s lips- something he’d been secretly dreaming about for what seemed like ages.

And right when he’d made up his mind to do it, Levi stood from his seat. “I think it’s time to head back to class before they notice we’re missing.”

Eren didn’t argue or yank Levi by the collar down to kiss him like he’d imagined. Instead, he followed him out and let Levi walk him back to his classroom where he spent the rest of the day daydreaming about his newest wish.

 

Eren blew out thirteen candles while his and Levi’s families finished up the traditional birthday song. Throughout the years, their families changed little by little. First, Hannes joined them around the table and then Historia too. Both brought even more fun and light to their group and Eren was happy that they became a part of their yearly traditions.

“What do you wish for?” Historia asked as Carla served everyone a slice of birthday cake.

 _A kiss from Levi, duh,_ he thought to himself. Aloud, he answered the age-old, “If I tell you, it won’t come true.”

She rolled her eyes and laughed, “If you tell us, though, we can all wish for it too. That means it’ll be much more likely to come true.”

“Breaking he system, are we?” Hannes teased her with a smirk. “What do you wish for on your birthdays then?”

“To get married to Ymir,” she proudly spoke. Eren gaped at how blatantly affectionate she was toward a person who wasn’t even courting her.

“That’s a waste of a wish,” Levi snorted. “It’ll happen, wish or no wish.”

“You think?” her eyes lit up.

“It’s inevitable.”

She bit into her cake rather dreamily and hummed happily at the thought. Eren didn’t normally think so much about a person’s exterior beauty, but Historia exuded a certain divine attraction that reminded him of a queen or even a goddess. Everything she did was adorable and lovely, despite the things she’d been through. He’d never heard her complain or even cry about it since moving in with Levi’s family, displaying a strength that he couldn’t imagine. Beneath the layers of gentle splendor was a hardened warrior. Eren found himself admiring her multi-faceted soul. All of a sudden, she winked at Eren and giggled, “Sort of like the two of you, then, hm?”

“If they’re married before they’re twenty-five, I win the pot,” Hannes snickered and nudged Historia playfully.

“If it’s after thirty, _I_ win it. They’re both chickens, it’ll take years before either one gets the courage to pop the question,” she joked back. Well, perhaps it wasn’t a joke. Eren caught their parents exchanging their betting winnings with one another shortly after he and Levi started courting.

“Will you both shut up?” Levi grumbled.

“Well, it’s true,” Historia defended with a smile. “And you really can’t argue against the truth!”

“No, but you can keep quiet about it,” Levi returned with equal jest, not minding the jokes being tossed around. He seemed relaxed as he leaned back in his chair and let the teasing unfold. Eren’s gaze lingered on a little too long as he imagined himself in Levi’s lap with their lips drawing near.

 _Oh shit, oh shit,_ Eren cursed when his thoughts went a little farther than planned and his crotch started to react unprovoked. He awkwardly shuffled his legs around in an attempt to suppress the growing erection. He reverted to thoughts that would turn him off like giraffes or his grandparents.

“Eren, could you grab some extra forks? I don’t think I’ve got enough here for everyone,” his mom asked the dreaded question. He’d have to get up in front of everyone and they’d _surely_ see the bulge in his pants.

Like a knight in shining fucking armor, Levi got up instead. “I got it,” he gave Eren a pat on the head as he passed by. “Wouldn’t want to make the birthday boy lift a finger.”

“A true gentleman,” Kuchel praised with a smile.

Levi gave Eren a wink as if he knew and Eren wondered if he really did. The fact was affirmed when Levi returned to his chair next to Eren’s and reached under the table to pat his thigh a few times. The simple and innocent gesture sent sparks up Eren’s spine and reignited his awkward, uncontrollable boner once more. Levi’s fingers had gotten so close, but yet a safe distance away as well. The pats were supposed to have been comforting, but they did the opposite to Eren. It was a new type of teasing that was cruel and wonderful all at the same time. His gut was on fire and the entire lower half of his body tingled. He knew his cheeks and ears had to have been as red as radishes.

A half hour later, the adults were cleaning up. Hannes walked Historia back across the yards so she could finish up some homework and made Levi promise to walk his mother home once they were ready to return. With everyone else scattered, it gave Eren and Levi the perfect opportunity to spend some time together.

They took refuge in the living room where Eren could drape a blanket over them while Levi presented a small package to him. “I didn’t really have time to buy anything, so I handmade it. Historia said it’d be a good idea and taught me how. It’s not perfect, but…” Levi started rambling nervously. He didn’t do it often, but when he did Eren had to relish it. The usual confidence Levi exuded melted into a slightly sour citrusy scent that clouded around them, displaying nerves and self-consciousness. Eren’s own scent bursting with excitement covered it right up, dousing them both in sweet strawberry splendor.

Eren plucked the package out of Levi’s hand and set it carefully between them, treating it like his greatest treasure. Odds were, it’d soon become his most prized possession and he couldn’t chance breaking it before it even came out of the beautifully wrapped box. He opened it in record time to pull out a handmade bracelet. It was woven with soft red and green strings, braided and twined together to create a durable yet delicate band. Strung onto the bracelet was a little, silver emblem of two wings crossing colored in white and blue.

It was common for Alphas or Betas courting their potential mate to get them some sort of jewelry, something that staked a claim in a much more appropriate fashion than hickeys or obnoxiously strong scents. The kids in high school usually opted for the latter, but kids in Eren’s grade stuck with some kind of necklace, ring, or bracelet.

Eren slipped the bracelet on and Levi helped him tie it as his eyes glittered down toward the piece of jewelry. Not only was it gorgeous but Levi made it himself, putting time and effort into the gift. Levi was still looking down at him nervously, “You like it?”

“I love it,” Eren honestly answered with a huge smile. He leaned forward to clasp onto Levi in a desperate hug. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” he kept repeating as his voice was muffled by Levi’s shoulder.

He could feel the other physically relax with relief and finally hug back. Eren breathed deeply to get as much of Levi’s scent into his lungs as possible. After going for so long without that close proximity, he felt he needed to soak it up as long as he could.

“I’m never taking it off,” he announced proudly, pulling back just enough to look at Levi in the eyes.

“You better not, I worked hard on that,” Levi smiled a little as he joked. “Honestly, though… I’d rather you keep it on. You don’t want to know what the older students have been saying.”

“What do you mean?”

“Let’s just say they’re a little peeved about our courting,” Levi shrugged. “But it’s fine.”

“Well, it’s not like anyone is going to steal me away,” Eren spoke firmly, set on the idea that if anyone pushed any of his boundaries they’d be running away from him with a black eye. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d turned someone down and he wasn’t afraid to do it again, no matter who it was.

“I’ll make sure of it too,” Levi promised, brushing a thumb over Eren’s new bracelet.

Levi’s mom called out from the kitchen about them having to leave soon before it got too late. It was pitch black outside and she wouldn’t dare leave the house without her son at her side. As much as Eren hated it, Omegas would always be Omegas. It was plain as day that they got little to no respect and almost no opportunities compared to Alphas and Betas. Teachers pushed Eren to not join the sports teams because he’d bring them down. He was pushed into taking classes like cooking and sewing. As he continued to refuse and do the things that _he_ wanted to do, thing got harder. He was graded harder than the other students, worked harder at sports to keep up, and aimed higher than anyone else just to make sure he didn’t get left behind. All the while, Levi was always there to support him. He’d never fight Eren’s battles for him unless it was dire.

It was just another reason why Eren felt so devoted to his potential mate. He and Levi, as always, were tighter than anything else. Levi seemed to _get_ Eren like no one else could and didn’t care that he was a little different from the other Omegas. Eren sometimes wondered if Levi wanted someone a little meeker or more submissive. He wondered if Levi dreamed of having a perfect house-mate who could cook like a five-star chef and wanted a big family. But then Levi would give him a look, one that was sharp with certainty and warm with endearment. It reignited the fire in Eren’s belly and left him to continue striving for more.

“Better go,” Levi sighed looking just as disappointed as Eren felt. The scents around them shifted with their motions, making their previously warm and vibrant fruit collision a rather dull one.

With a rush of rash courage, Eren leaned forward and planted his lips onto Levi’s. He imitated the kisses he’d seen in the movies with lips lightly slipping between lips. At first thought, the kiss felt weird and wrong. But once Levi moved his lips, slotting them into place, Eren realized it was quite pleasant. He pulled back swiftly, covering his cheeks and laughing a little. “Goodnight, Levi.”

Levi paused for a moment with a look of shock on his face, followed by a picture-perfect smile. “Goodnight, Eren,” he returned. He leaned in to give Eren a quick peck once more before begrudgingly getting up and heading to get his mom from the kitchen. The two of them waved their goodbyes to Eren and his family before taking off.

“You seem happy,” Eren’s dad noticed, cocking his head to the side. “Did Levi give you his present?”

“Yeah!” Eren held up his wrist to his parents. “He made it. Can you believe it?”

“It’s beautiful,” his mom complimented. “Need help taking it off before you take a shower?”

Eren yanked his wrist back to hold it protectively. “No,” he said in a hurry. He realized his own scent was changing again, one that announced his rush of fear. Obviously, his mom didn’t mean to threaten him and Eren wanted to smack himself for being so silly. “No,” he said again, softly. “I’d rather not take it off. Ever.”

His parents just laughed it off and left him to get ready for bed himself, not minding his scrambled emotions, scents, and hormones. They kept the atmosphere light and comforting, which helped him cool down quickly.

He took his nightly shower, brushed his teeth, and scrubbed at his face with his acne medications. With little thought, he took all the pills and vitamins needed for a growing Omega. The entire routine was quick and easy, allowing him to rush back to his room as fast as he could. He ran to the window where Levi’s whiteboard was already pressed up against his window. Levi had written _Happy Birthday, Eren_ with a bunch of hearts drawn around it. Eren’s heart jumped a little and he grabbed his phone to take a picture, wanting to remember it forever. He started to realize that most of his photos were of him and Levi or the silly things Levi had written to him on his whiteboard.

Levi strolled into his room with a towel around his waist and hurried to his window as well, catching sight of Eren and giving him a little wave. Eren slowly waved back, completely distracted by Levi’s naked torso. His coursing, disobedient hormones and pheromones were working up a storm that he’d surely have to work off later in the night. It wasn’t fair how gorgeous Levi was. He wasn’t as tall as the other kids in his class, in fact, he might have been the shortest. It didn’t matter to Eren, though. Height had nothing to do with the defined muscles shaping Levi’s body.

Eren had half a mind to think that Levi knew how much he was teasing him. After a number of heats, he wasn’t a stranger to the urges and he knew Levi wasn’t either. There was no way in hell he’d ever spend one with Levi anytime soon, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t imagine what it’d be like.

“Just a few more years,” he promised himself, as well as his rising erection. “Then he’ll be all mine for good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your support! I read all of your comments and I really want you all to know how much I appreciate them as well as the time you take to read this story and let me know that you're enjoying it! <3 I am so thankful for you all- I don't think I'll be able to repay you for the kindness you've shared with me <3
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	39. Chapter 39

“Not again,” Levi pinched the bridge of his nose as he stood in front of Eren who sat shamelessly on the bed in Kuchel’s office. He dangled his legs and wore a rather smug expression, clearly proud of what he’d done. On the bed across from them sat an Alpha with an icepack on his eye.

“It’s _his_ fault,” Eren defended himself. “He said I was a bad Omega.”

Levi’s accusing eyes left Eren in favor of the male Alpha across from them. “You _what_?”

Eren huffed to continue his explanation. “He said since I don’t give my heats to you, I’m bad.” He mumbled a few seconds later, “Or that I don’t… have sex with you at all… So, I punched him.”

It hadn’t been the first time Eren punched someone, namely Alphas, due to a snarky comment or a mean joke. He used to get sent to the principal’s office for it, but then the teachers started sending him to Kuchel’s office and notifying Levi instead. It seemed a talk from Levi did miles more for Eren than a scolding from the principal ever did.

But this situation was completely different. It wasn’t a snide remark in hopes to rile Eren’s feathers and it wasn’t a joke at all. “Eren’s fine just the way he is,” Levi tried to keep his voice under control. His pheromones, however, were filling the room with a dark and looming scent. The citrus scent he normally exuded seemed richer and fuller, as if to establish his dominance of the situation. He was unconsciously exerting himself over the male Alpha as well as Eren too. “Don’t you _dare_ criticize him for how we spend our time or lead him to believe I’m dissatisfied with our courtship. I don’t want you even _thinking_ about Eren in that sort of manner. _Am I understood_?” With every word, Levi slinked closer and closer to the Alpha until they were nose to nose as Levi stood above the other.

“Y-yeah,” the other Alpha shrunk.

“Good. Eren, let’s go. Back to class with you,” Levi put an arm around Eren’s shoulders to lead him out of the nurse’s office. There was no reason for him to linger in there anyway, he’d gotten away from the altercation unscathed.

Eren walked beside him with a little smile on his face, though his scent still seemed uncertain. That same uncertainty lasted the entire day, still hanging on Eren’s clothes when they both got into Levi’s car to head home for the day.

“What’s on your mind?” Levi finally asked, hoping to be straightforward about things that were bothering Eren. After all the time it had taken for them to come together in courtship, he learned it was better to be direct and honest rather than hiding behind the fear of rejection.

Eren, however, didn’t seem to think the same. “Nothing,” he quickly muttered, keeping his eyes out the window.

“It doesn’t smell like nothing,” Levi reached over to poke at Eren’s thigh.

“Then stop smelling,” Eren sourly spoke, his usual sweet scent gone rotten.

“Then stop acting like there’s something you want to say and just say it,” Levi gave him another poke, a little harder than last time in hopes to spur up a real answer.

He parked the car in his driveway and waited patiently for Eren to spit it out. Instead of speaking, Eren just huffed again and got out of the car, slamming the door behind him and rushing to his house.

“That’s weird,” Levi mumbled to himself, wondering what the hell had gotten into him. There were only a number of times Eren had ever ran away from Levi without sayin goodbye, most of them being due to excitement rather than anger.

When he walked inside, Hannes was reading in the main room. Historia was cuddled up next to him, napping. She had been exhausted after her heat ended and still needed a few days to recuperate. He and Hannes had taken turns leaving the house, always needing an Alpha to be around to keep her safe and sound. It reminded of something Eld had said while Eren presented. There was nothing perverse about wanting to stay in Historia’s proximity, he had taken to her in a brotherly sort of way. He just wanted to make sure she was okay. Since the authorities hadn’t moved forward in relocating her, he just accepted that she lived with them and was a part of their family. Hannes probably felt the same way too, happy in the knowledge that she was safe at home during such a vulnerable time.

“Levi, mind sitting here for me? I’ve had to pee for an hour now but I didn’t want her to wake up alone,” Hannes pleaded.

Levi shucked off his jacket and backpack and carefully exchanged places with Hannes. Historia fell off his shoulder and onto the couch cushion during the transition, but Levi was sure to sit by her in the last empty space left. He had his phone out, ready to text Eren about what had happened.

“Oh, hey,” Historia mumbled, sniffing at the air. She must have noticed the swap from summer grasses to oranges. “What time is it?”

“Four thirty,” Levi told her. “Hey, do you know if something is wrong with Eren?” He often fled to her for advice. Not only was she tuned into all the gossip around their school, but her and Eren were close as well. They were in the same little group of friends and, to Levi’s dismay, he often seemed more honest with them about his feelings than he was with Levi.

“He’s horny,” she bluntly stated. “And his boyfriend isn’t giving him anything other than chaste kisses and hand holding. It makes him think you don’t think he’s attractive.”

“Seriously? He told you that?”

“No, but I can tell,” she shrugged. “And I know you probably wouldn’t initiate anything like that for a while either.”

“He’s just a kid,” Levi exclaimed.

“But he’s also your Omega,” she countered. He hated how much he liked how she said _your Omega_ and how it caused a shiver to crawl up his spine. “And you’ve got to take care of him somehow. Apparently, he’s been irritable with everyone lately, according to Ymir, so get him smiling again before he punches someone else.”

Levi wasn’t going to ask about why Historia was texting Ymir during her heat, so he just nodded and tried to think of some way to quell Eren’s pent up hormones. What was he supposed to do when Eren was still so young? There weren’t any laws or real rules that stated when it was acceptable or unacceptable for risky behavior, as the population matured at vastly different rates and times. Adulthood was hard to define, especially in a society dominated by their secondary genders.

Still, he knew Eren had presented earlier than the rest of his class. There were still plenty of his classmates that hadn’t yet and wouldn’t dream of doing anything overtly sexual with another.

His inner turmoil was broken by the chime of his phone. He looked down to see if it was from Eren. The message was curt, but honest.

Eren [4:52pm]: Sorry

Knowing Eren, the kid didn’t apologize unless he meant it. Levi was quick to reply.

Levi [4:52pm]: It’s fine. Want to talk about it?

Eren [4:53pm]: No.

“He’s being difficult,” Levi threw his head back onto the backrest of the couch and tossed his phone to Historia. “Help.”

She read over the tiny three messages and threw the phone right back into Levi’s face. “Just give him some time. It’s probably embarrassing to tell his boyfriend that he’s got blue balls and wants a little more action.”

Levi didn’t _want_ to wait around the issue for who knew how long it’d take. He wanted to settle it right then and there, letting Eren know how he felt and squandering any silly ideas Eren may keep about whether or not Levi really wanted him or not.

Of fucking course Levi wanted him.

Levi made a move to get up and head to his bedroom, but a hand caught him by his pants. Historia mumbled, “Stay here until Hannes gets back?”

“Yeah, sorry,” Levi sat right back down. He forgot about Historia’s post-heat worries and settled back in. He wondered if Eren had similar needs after a heat and if he tended to stay closer to Grisha during those days. Would he stick to Levi that way, cuddling close and demanding they stay close together? The thought appealed to him as he pondered over it.

Hannes finally emerged from the bathroom and traded places with Levi so he was released to his bedroom. As always, Levi glanced out his window when he first entered to see if he could spot Eren across the way. To his surprise, Eren was standing by the window with just a towel on.

“Well, fuck,” Levi cursed under his breath when his own dirty trick was pulled against him. It was true he may or may not have purposefully teased Eren with some partial nudity in front of the window, but he hadn’t expected Eren to reciprocate.

Levi couldn’t tear his eyes away even if he wanted to. He may have still thought of Eren as a kid and Eren was ready for more, but that difference slowly fell away as Levi gazed at soft curves and pink nipples. He jerked away before Eren could drop the towel and dove for his phone, rapidly texting a new message to Eren.

Levi [5:21pm]: You’re playing dirty.

Eren [5:23pm]: I learned from the best.

When Levi looked over again, Eren was dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a white t-shirt, smirking at him. It seemed his frustrations had quelled for the time being, though Levi knew they’d never truly die until they actually talked about it. He guessed Historia was right and that Eren was embarrassed about his need for more and feelings of inadequacy. Levi knew they’d have to find some kind of compromise before he inadvertently pushed Eren away, which was the last thing he’d ever want. The thoughts burned into his mind as the afternoon went on, consistently popping right back into his head as he fought with himself over what to do about it. Whatever it was, he’d do anything to keep Eren by his side. He’d do anything for Eren, that was easy enough. With that as his motivation, he set his mind to figuring out the words to convey how he really felt.

 

After dinner, Levi’s pent up anxieties over the issue led him to the backyard. He climbed his way up the tree between his and Eren’s yards, hiding away on the thicker branches near the top. From there, he was relatively hidden from the world unless someone looked straight up from the base of the tree. The springtime had brought plenty of leaves to the bare branches for coverage and made for a perfect hideaway. The sun was beginning to set, casting pastel hues of pink and orange across the sky mixing in with the blue daylight. He sent Eren a text, asking him to meet and not too long after Eren was climbing his way up too. As much as Levi wanted to lend him a hand to make sure he didn’t fall, he let Eren have his independence and the Omega clambered up on his own.  

“Hey,” Eren breathed out, catching his breath. He sat right up next to Levi, leaning on him in his temporary weakness from climbing. The moment Eren turned to give Levi smile, Levi leaned forward to press his lips against Eren’s. After a second of surprised hesitation, Eren slotted his lips in Levi’s and welcomed the kiss.

When they pulled away, Levi spoke the words he’d been rehearsing in his head the entire evening, “You’re perfect for me. You don’t have to give your heats to me or anything like that to be a good Omega. You’re good just the way you are. We’ll take things at our own pace, right? This is important and we shouldn’t rush important things.”

Eren took a huge breath out, as if that were a relief for him to hear. “Really?” He sought reaffirmation and Levi was more than happy to give that to him.

“Really. You are… you’ve _always been_ everything to me. I’m not with you for sex, I’m with you for you. Later, when we’re ready, we can do that stuff. Now, though, let’s take our time. Okay?”

After a few seconds, Eren bit his lip and smiled. He nodded and let his head fall onto Levi’s shoulder. “Prude,” he joked with a little laugh, breaking the serious atmosphere.

Levi laughed too, poking at Eren’s thigh and rolling his eyes. He was happy they were learning to communicate, even if it came along with a few bumps in the road. Both of them preferred direct and upfront approaches, and talking through things seemed to work out and avoid unnecessary fights or conflicts.

Of course, a little conflict was unavoidable in a relationship but as they matured and grew up together, he felt as though they were learning how to cope. With Eren’s head on his shoulder, drawing little hearts onto his thigh, Levi felt as though they could conquer anything together.

“You have to have that meeting with the guidance counselor this week, right?” Eren said out of nowhere. “The one about what you want to do when you grow up?”

“Oh, right, yeah,” Levi remembered. He was surprised that Eren had thought of it as the meeting had honestly slipped is mind.

“What are you going to say?” Eren asked, his voice rather quiet.

“I have no idea,” Levi shrugged a little, trying not to jostle Eren’s head too much. “Why?”

“You’re an Alpha, so you’ll probably do something important. You’ll probably go to a university too. That’s… far away… The closest one is in the city.”

Oh, that was what was bothering him. Levi had only a few more years of school left with Eren before he had to decide what to do with the rest of his life. Eren was right, it probably meant a university. Hannes and his mother had pestered him about it and what he wanted to do, but Levi never had a real answer for him. Now Eren was asking too, afraid of being so far apart again.

“I might be far away, but that won’t change how I feel about you,” he decided to say. “The future is full of unknowns, but I suppose there is one thing that will always stay the same. You know what that is?”

“What?”

These words were easy, ones that he didn’t need to wonder over or think about for hours on end. It was something he was always certain of, no matter how many uncertainties the world had in store for him. “Us. We’ll always stay the same. I’ll always love you. No matter where we go or what we do.”

Eren peeled away from Levi to look him in the eyes. “You love me?”

Levi realized he’d never actually said those words in such a romantic way to Eren before. They fell out of his mouth so naturally and sincerely that he hadn’t noticed. In his heart, he’d always loved Eren. They’d been together for so long that Levi truly did love every little piece and part of Eren without a doubt. “Yeah, I love you,” he repeated with a small smile. His cheeks felt hot and all of a sudden, he was smiling so hard that it hurt. It felt good to let Eren know how he really felt, even if he had said it without realizing it at first.

Eren’s arms were around him in mere seconds, squeezing around him and nearly knocking him off the tree. A slight breeze sent the leaves around them chattering and clattering, as if they were cheering for them. “I love you too,” Eren let his voice join in the harmony of the leaves, creating the perfect symphony to Levi’s ears.

They didn’t have to say much after that and instead stayed close to one another while watching the sun make its descent. “It’s beautiful from here,” Eren mentioned.

Levi looked to his boyfriend, unable to really see his face. He knew those brilliant green eyes were probably watching the show of colors the sky was showcasing just for them and Levi bet that they were glimmering with joy. “Yeah, it is,” he absentmindedly agreed, knowing that even if the sky blossomed with a new, gorgeous color unknown to man that Eren would still hold his full captivations as the most beautiful thing in their world.

Like all things, the sunset eventually had to end. “You better get home,” Levi gave Eren a little nudge. “Come on, I’ll walk you to the door.”

“No, I’m too tired. Let’s just sleep here,” Eren snuggled up even further next to Levi and his strawberry scent was wafting around them sweetly. It tempted to possess Levi and lure him into staying put, but his responsibilities toward Eren outweighed his more selfish desires.

“Five more minutes,” he compromised.

“Ten,” Eren countered.

“Seven.”

“Deal,” Eren hummed with victory and took Levi’s hand in his. “I love you,” he spoke with a little giggle, as if he enjoyed how those three little words sounded between them.

“I love you too,” Levi replied with a smile of his own. They really did sound nice, especially in their private little haven. It was like the feelings between them had their own sound and could further come to life with just three simple words.

Love. Since the day they’d met, it had surrounded them in such an easy and simple way. Levi knew it’d continue to keep them close and protected, no matter how many years would pass or the number of storms they’d weather together. Love would keep them safe, warm, and together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everybody! Thanks so much for reading! All of your support and comments have been keeping my spirits up and have all made me smile so much! I know it's been a little while since I updated this one- I've been trying to figure out where we're going to take it from here and how to work in some appropriate time-skips and such! Thanks for sticking with me <3
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi: 19  
> Eren: 15

The years passed by too quickly for Eren’s preference, but they were filled with fun and memories that would last him a lifetime. Even with the excitement from meeting new friends, Sasha and Connie who transferred from an even smaller school far out in the country, and the upcoming summer, Eren’s heart felt sore. He sat next to Historia in the school bleachers with his parents on his other side. Hannes and Kuchel sat on the other side of Historia. The whole group had their eyes pinned on Levi as he walked across the stage. His discomfort wasn’t due to the crowded gymnasium with everyone sitting shoulder to shoulder or the overwhelming number of pheromones clouding around him. It wasn’t due to the sticky humidity or heat that radiated off them all. It wasn’t even due to the fact that his feet had fallen into a tingly, numb sleep from being crushed awkwardly into the tiny space below him.

It was graduation day.

All the graduates waited anxiously dressed in black gowns with the traditional hats with gold tassels as they made their way across the stage in a line to accept their diplomas and announce to the small crowd what their plans were after graduating high school. Eren tried to convince Levi to tell him what he’d decided to study at the city university, but Levi kept the secret held tightly. After speaking with the guidance counselor, his mom, Hannes, and even his friends for what seemed like weeks, he seemed to have settled on something that made him really happy. Whenever they talked about it, Levi would get a huge grin on his face and talk about how excited he was. After he had finally decided, he spent the next few years working tirelessly to assure his place at the university by polishing his grades to sparkling perfection and working a part-time job at a mechanic’s shop to start earning some money to pay for it. He’d skipped all the school dances and activities just to study more and work harder. Eren wasn’t too beat up about it- he was too young to join Levi at the dances and they still went to the sporting events that Levi’s friends were involved in. If anything, it just helped Eren understand that this goal meant a lot to Levi for some reason.

So, when Levi stepped up to the podium and took the diploma from the principal, Eren leaned forward with the utmost curiosity. Even mixed into a huge crowd of students and parents, Levi’s eyes zeroed in on Eren, as if he were speaking to him directly. “Levi Ackerman, attending Sina University to study law. I plan on becoming a family lawyer specializing in Omega cases.” After a round of applause, he stepped off the stage and sat back down with the other students.

A hand came down on Eren’s shoulder as Kuchel grinned down at him. “Whenever anyone asked him what he wanted to do, he’d just say he wanted to protect you. He talked with Hannes about becoming a police officer, but after seeing what happened with Rod he decided that he’d fight for you in a different way, by standing up for other Omegas who were in similar cases and become their voice during a fight against those who harmed them.”

Eren hadn’t the slightest clue what to say. He was so deeply touched that he inspired Levi’s new quest in life, and the fact that he’d be standing up for people just like Eren. He knew that Erwin went to Sina in order to become a lawyer too and probably helped persuade Levi to join him. Hange went there as well, but to become some kind of scientist. It made him happy that Levi would have friends in the city, people who could be there for Levi when Eren couldn’t. Everything seemed to line up in Eren’s heart to make him feel a little better about their upcoming long-distance relationship.

Time passed by in a blur after that for Eren. He vaguely remembers Levi’s group of friends all listing off their plans too, all of which were going to Sina as well. Eren saw a trend in the fact that Omegas tended to make plans to stay home while Alphas and Betas were more likely to go to a university or trade school. Levi’s friend Eld ended up being the only Omega that Eren knew with plans to obtain further education and Eren caught a few gasps in the crowd.

Well, if Hange and Eld could do something like that… so could he.

In the sweaty, suffocating stands in the gymnasium Eren set new, yet similar sights. He’d run after Levi, as he always did. When Levi got perfect grades, Eren did too. When Levi figured out how to ride a bike without the handlebars, Eren did too. Now, if Levi was going to Sina University, Eren would too. After the summer, he’d be in high school and would do anything it took to chase after his boyfriend.

After the ceremony, Eren was the first to leap off the bleachers and weave through the crowd to get to Levi. He vaulted over a few folding chairs at one point and nearly tripped twice. With a running leap, he threw himself at his boyfriend knowing that Levi would catch him. And, of course, he did with ease and a little chuckle. “Hey,” he grinned at Eren, holding him in a tight embrace.

Eren drew up his legs and secured them around Levi’s hips so he could be held up easily. “Hey,” he returned with equal giddy. Unable to help himself, he crashed his lips into Levi’s and delivered a few hard, eager kisses until finally backing away. “A lawyer, hm?” he smiled, eyes crinkling with the sheer force of the grin.

“Sorry I kept it from you. I thought you’d be happy about it.”

“I am. Your mom told me how much thought you put into it.”

“I just… all I’ve ever wanted to do was to keep you safe and happy. I know you can fight your own battles, but I know how much you feel for those who can’t. I’ll fight for them, and for you. If we don’t fight for them, we can’t win for them, right? Hannes said if they had decent lawyers, Rod would have been taken care of instead of letting him loose. If someone fought a little harder, so many cases like that could have been solved right away.”

“Right,” Eren agreed with a fervent nod. “I think it’s great. You’ll be amazing.”

“Erwin thinks I’ll be a good lawyer and he can help me with the introductory courses. He’s living in an apartment right now so we can save money by being roommates. It all makes so much sense.”

Eren was nodding again as if he didn’t have control over his own neck and hugged onto Levi again. “If anyone can do it, you can,” he breathed into Levi’s ear. Their sticky bodies were swishing together in the most uncomfortable way, but Eren didn’t want to let go. He clung onto Levi’s silky graduation gown and didn’t let go until a little tug on his shirt broke him out of the moment. His mom was behind him giggling and assisted Eren back to the floor. It was Levi’s family’s turn to congratulate him with hugs and happy smiles and Eren contained himself from jumping on his boyfriend again while Kuchel, Hannes, and Historia got their turns to wrap him in their arms.

The pheromones Eren was swimming in held his heart lightly. He could smell the blend of summer scents from Levi’s family. Hannes created a base of freshly cut grasses and Kuchel’s added her rose-like, flowery scent to it. Historia’s light vanilla scent mixed in with Levi’s citrus created some kind of delicious orange parfait that would be perfect on a summer day. They were perfect together, a harmonious family that had overcome so much to be together.

Eren noticed his own family’s scents swarming around him as well. His mother’s scent reminded him of fresh laundry, clean and comforting. His father’s crisp, faint apple scent blends in as if it were spring. As a doctor, he needed to take medication to dilute his scent as to not bother his patients. Still, it was there in Eren’s nose and blended well with his own and with his mother’s too.

Between the two families, Eren felt surrounded by a happy warmth that mingled with the plethora of other families and friends surrounding them. A lot of Levi’s friends came up to give him quick pats on the back or their well wishes. The scene couldn’t get any brighter, even as a dark, looming eventuality held Eren’s heart captive.

At the end of the summer, Levi would have to leave. As much as Eren wanted to shove that reality away from his head and out the window, he simply couldn’t let it go. He couldn’t stop himself from grasping onto Levi’s hand and refusing to let go, as if that would stop him from going off to achieve his new dream. Eren wanted Levi to be happy and was so proud that Levi found something that inspired him, but that didn’t change the fact that they’d no longer be able to see each other every day. He wouldn’t be able to hug Levi every day. He wouldn’t be able to push his nose into his boyfriend’s chest and breathe in that sweet scent. Levi would be hours away, far from Eren’s touch.

The families got together for dinner at Levi’s house after the graduation ceremony ended, joining together as they usually did with pizza and even a strawberry cake. Eren threw on his best fake smile, hoping he could mask his inner turmoil from the others. It escaped most of them, except Levi of course who kept giving him looks of concern and worry.

“Hey, I think Petra is hosting a party at her house tonight. Would you want to go with me? Everyone from school is supposedly going to be there,” Levi whispered.

Eren was quick to nod, always agreeing wholeheartedly to follow Levi wherever he went. Plus, a party had the potential to take his mind off of the sadness eating up his soul. At fourteen, he’d been to his fair share of parties with his own group of friends that usually consisted of their group playing games and listening to music. He knew the parties that the older kids threw were a little wilder and he was curious as hell to see what went on. Levi had never participated much, always working or studying instead. He had gone to a few, though, and forbid Eren from going with. He always claimed he was too worried about some unruly Alphas in his class that seemed to have a little crush on Eren despite the fact that he was obviously taken.

So, with the invitation extended, Eren was happy to attend.

“Hey, a few people are going over to Petra’s to celebrate. Would you mind if Eren and I joined them?” Levi asked the group of adults in front of them.

“Oh, could you take me too? Ymir is going,” Historia added with her classic, pleading eyes that got her anything she wanted.

“Petra? Oh, sure,” Kuchel grinned. “I always loved Petra. Bright little thing and so sweet too.”

“Great,” Levi stood from his seat and hugged both Kuchel and Hannes while giving the Jaegers a grateful wave. He seemed to waste no time in yanking Eren out of his seat and out the door. “We’re off then.”

 

The moment the trio walked into Petra’s house, Historia was off running toward Ymir. Even though Ymir never asked to court Historia, they acted like they were dating and always smelled like each other. Anytime anyone ever asked about it, they’d change the subject and blush. They looked rather nice together and their outfits even matched. Historia stayed in the black dress she wore to the graduation ceremony and Ymir wore tight, black jeans with the leather jacket she always had on.

Eren assessed his own outfit, his usual skinny jeans and black shirt looked rather plain compared to the other outfits in the house. He changed his style to match Levi’s before they started courting and kept at it after, which left him with a lot of plain yet stylish outfits that clung to his body in all the right places. Levi’s own outfit of black jeans and hoodie made him look dangerously attractive in a way that Eren dreamed about at night with his hands down his pajama pants.

“Don’t stray too far away from me, okay?” Levi murmured, putting an arm around Eren’s shoulders to pull him a little closer. “I think your friends should be around here somewhere.”

Eren people-watched as Levi pulled him around the house. There were tons of people with red, plastic cups in their hands full of beer or cheap wine. Music was playing so loud that it made the floor vibrate along with the bass. A group of people were having a beer-pong tournament. Another group was smoking weed on the couches and laughing about something amongst each other. A mix of pot and cigarette smoke made everything in the house hazy and the added, heady scent of pheromones only made Eren’s head feel even lighter.

“Where’d Historia even go?” Levi mumbled, unable to find anyone Eren knew.

“It’s fine, I’m here with you and that’s all that matters,” Eren spoke above the crowd noise.

Levi shrugged, agreeing with him and slowly pulled him out to the patio where there were less people around and the music faded into the background noise. “So, what’s bothering you?” Levi finally asked.

“You brought me all the way here to ask what was bothering me?” Eren laughed a little. “It’s nothing.”

“It doesn’t smell like nothing,” Levi used his usual comeback when Eren tried to hide his feelings from him.

Eren huffed and leaned back against the railing of the patio. “You’re leaving soon. It sucks.”

“Yeah, it does,” Levi sighed. “But, it can’t be helped. I’ve told you before, if I could stay here with you, I would.”

“I mean, I want you to go,” Eren talked with his hands, a nervous habit he was starting to pick up. He dropped them and let his shoulders hunch up with discomfort. “But… I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too,” Levi assured, petting Eren’s head gently in a soothing manner. “I’ll visit on the weekends and holidays. We can video-chat too. It might seem like I’m far away, but I won’t be.”

Eren’s eyes were distracted by a couple a few meters away from them. A female Omega was falling back against the railing as her Alpha pressed kisses onto her neck and over the mating mark they put there. The thought of Levi’s mark on his own neck floated through his mind, a newly recurring thought that popped up every night during his jerk-off sessions. Imagining Levi’s teeth sinking into his neck proved to make him come every time, yearning for the bond with every cell of his being.

Levi captured his chin between his fingers and pulled Eren’s face back toward his. “Hey, it’ll be fine. I promise. I’ll do anything I can to make you feel comfortable with this.”

The thought tickled at Eren’s mind a bit: a mating mark might help. He’d be able to feel Levi close to him, safe in the knowledge that he wouldn’t be forgotten. They’d never talked about the marking before, but a lot of couples in Levi’s class had them already. Of course, no one in Eren’s class had them as everyone was still in a mix of presenting.

Then again, Eren knew Levi had his own hesitations toward the mark. Whenever they’d hug and Levi’s lips would graze against Eren’s neck, he’d flinch away slightly. If Eren’s playful little nips in between chaste kisses fell toward Levi’s neck, he’d pull away.

“You okay?” Levi cocked his head to the side and tried to figure out what Eren was thinking. “You smell a little happier, at least.”

Eren shrugged and knew he couldn’t ask for something like a mating mark. It was obvious Levi wasn’t interested, though Eren could still dream about it. No matter what, Levi would have to travel far away and it’d be selfish to ask him to stay. They were attending a party with plenty of happy, drunk smiles and their friends were probably waiting for them inside.

“I’m okay,” Eren finally replied, taking Levi’s hand to pull him back indoors. “Let’s just have fun tonight, okay?”

Levi didn’t budge when Eren yanked on his arm, staying still for just a moment. A few expressions passed over his face before settling to pull Eren back into his arms. The tight embrace allowed Levi to rub their necks together, properly scent-marking Eren as his. He even went to the greater lengths of wiping his wrists over Eren’s cheeks and arms, and giving his lips a few playful licks too. Eren could smell the cloud of citrus surrounding him warmly, loudly announcing that he was Levi’s and not interested in anyone else. Levi seemed to like marking up Eren that way, gently and lovingly with soft touches. He used slow movements to give Eren every opportunity to pull away if he wanted, though he couldn’t imagine ever wanting to step out of Levi’s space. Especially with the new threat of their upcoming distance, Eren knew he’d be spending the entire summer yearning to be close.

“Let’s go,” Levi finally announced. “I’d rather you experience this the first time with someone you trust.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everybody! I am currently on a vacation to the beach (Hello to those of you in Florida, USA!) so I apologize if there are any mistakes in this chapter! It's been a little difficult finding time to get this one posted, but I'm so happy I was able to get this one out <3 Thank you all for your kind words and for reading! <3


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi: 19  
> Eren: 15

“So, he didn’t like alcohol?” Erwin laughed. “Somehow that doesn’t surprise me. He’s just fifteen, anyway. I’m sure he’ll learn to like it later.”

Levi finally got to see Erwin after the school year ended. He came home over the summers to stay with his dads and always made time to catch up with his friends. They all got together periodically over the few free months they had. Erwin, Hange, Mike, and Nanaba seemed to all grow closer together as they all attended school together. Levi was actually happy to get to see them all again, and even happier that he’d see them more often when they’d all attend the same school. The one thing he wasn’t excited about, however, was his upcoming long-distance relationship with Eren. “No, he hated it,” he finally answered Erwin. “Said he’d never drink anything that foul again. But you’re right, I bet when he’s older, he’ll drink like a fish. He promised he wouldn’t without me or someone else he trusted around, though.”

“It’s kind of sweet that you’ve gotten to watch him grow up. I don’t know many couples that actually stick together as long as you two have.” Erwin took a hit from the joint they were sharing and passed it back to Levi. The pot dulled their scents and their sensitivity to pheromones, making the most relaxing atmosphere. Erwin brought an Indica strain from school and the two had been indulging in the carefree, scent-free benefits. As they were both Alphas, occasionally their instincts demanded one to push for a dominance of the situation. Like this, though, there was no internal fight or a battle of the scents- it was just the two of them hanging out together.

Erwin leaned back against his couch and hummed. They had spent the morning in his bedroom with Erwin on the couch and Levi lying on the bed. Erwin’s parents would be gone until after work. Eren was busy with his friends, which left Levi with a free schedule for the afternoon. “I think it’s different for us. Sometimes it doesn’t even feel like we’re courting. It just feels right to be together,” Levi shrugged.

“That’s probably how it should be,” Erwin smiled and leaned even deeper into his seat, sinking into it lazily. He hesitated a little before drawling out his next question, “Do you think Alphas and Omegas should be together?”

For once, Erwin’s question didn’t make much sense. His articulation fell to shit and Levi actually had to ask for clarification. “What?”

“Do you think they _have_ to be together? Like, the only person an Alpha can court is an Omega?” Erwin seemed to get a little more nervous with his question. “Do you feel like you’re destined to be with an Omega?”

“I feel like I’m destined to be with Eren, but I felt like that before he became an Omega,” Levi sat up to get a better look at Erwin. The blond Alpha was biting at his lip, yet another odd behavior from him.

“Do you think it’d be weird if an Alpha courted another Alpha? Or a Beta?” The real question finally came out of Erwin, something he’d obviously been anxious about asking.

It wasn’t completely unheard of for Alphas to court one another. It was just as rare as two Omegas courting, though. With bodies depending on a counterpart, it wasn’t exactly socially acceptable. It was more likely that an Alpha or Omega would mate with a Beta, and even that wasn’t as common either. With heats and ruts, it made the relationships difficult. Often, a Beta’s physical form couldn’t keep up with an Omega or an Alpha during a heat or a rut.

Levi had to answer honestly. “I know if Eren were an Alpha like he wanted to be, or if he were a Beta, I’d still court him. I don’t like him because he’s an Omega, I couldn’t give a fuck about that. I like him because he’s Eren.”

Erwin hummed in thought, sighed, and nodded a little. “I had a feeling you’d say that.”

“What? Do you want to court an Alpha or something?” Levi asked, trying to pinpoint what was going on in his friend’s mind. Whatever it was, it seemed to trouble him. It was such a strange thing to witness- Erwin’s uncertainty. Levi compared it to catching a glimpse of a lake monster or catching a falling star. He’d thought it was mythical and possibly non-existent, but Erwin’s frown proved otherwise. It was tinged with sadness, disappointment, and most of all… doubt.

“Never mind, it’s stupid,” Erwin just laughed it off. He threw on the fakest of smiles and reached out for the joint Levi had been idly holding onto. Levi handed it over and chose not to pry further as his friend obviously didn’t want to discuss it any longer.

He did choose to offer up the last bit of advice that he could. In his own way, of course. “You’re a fucking catch and a half, Erwin. Whatever fucker you want, you’ll get.” Complimenting Erwin so openly and honestly wasn’t exactly normal for him, but neither was Erwin’s vulnerable doubt. They cancelled each other out and they resumed a more light-hearted conversation after as if it’d make that heavy tension fade. The pot helped and Levi was thankful for it. Soon enough, they were back to laughing at stupid shit again.

“Are you excited for the upcoming semeseter?” Erwin finally asked about school. “I’m happy to finally have a roommate. It gets pretty boring without someone around to make fun of.”

Levi grumbled. His entire family worked so hard to gather up the funds for him to attend the prestigious school. He spent a majority of his high school career working to save money and studying to keep his grades up. With all the work they put into it, he felt as though he should have been more excited. Still, one thing was keeping him from reaching that level of eagerness.

Erwin called it out right away. “Or are you afraid to be so far away from Eren?”

The only response Levi gave him was another shrug, one that admitted his inner concern. Eren still needed him around to steer him away from trouble and chase away any possible altercations. Eren needed him for the days he got into fights. Eren needed him to mark him with scent and cover his face with little kisses. Eren still needed him, right? Or did he not?

At fifteen, Eren’s body may have matured into a full-fledged Omega but his behavior was still juvenile. Levi took the role of guiding him along and making sure he didn’t get too out of hand. Without him around, though, would Eren be okay? Would he walk through life without needing Levi to hold his hand through it? Or would he get lost along the way with no one there to find him?

Levi let his head fall back in an attempt to calm down his rushing mind. While his body felt relaxed and heavy, his mind was on the move. It seemed every single one of his worries in life had Eren’s name labelled on it in bright, bold letters.

“He’ll be fine,” Erwin tried to assure him. “Eren’s got his friends, his parents… he’ll be okay. I know your mom will be looking out for him too at school.”

It was all true, but words wouldn’t erase away the growing nerves pulsing through Levi’s sleepy body. He searched through his mind for something that might quell his worries, something that would connect the two of them together even if they were hours apart. His hazy, useless brain came up with nothing useful. Erwin’s noisy scratching at the couch had distracted him anyway.

“Have you ever noticed how _soft_ shit is?” he marveled.

Levi snorted at the realization and dragged himself from his seat to the couch next to Erwin. It _was_ soft and comfortable as he sank in next to his best friend. He let the silly, warm atmosphere chase away his worries for a little while. The future was full of unknowns, but he simply wouldn’t know how to handle it until he got there.

* * *

The days of summer passed much too quickly for Eren’s taste. He wanted to fit in every second he could with Levi, but his other responsibilities and friends needed time as well. Summer sports took time as well and Eren couldn’t skip baseball practice every time. Levi came to watch him, though, so that was good enough for him. He drove Eren to every event he had and kept watch over him during games and practices.

Eren picked at a loose string on his baseball mitt and gazed to the stands where Levi was sitting. He stood in the outfield, just waiting for a ball to come his way but he quickly became bored of simply waiting. When Levi caught his gaze, Eren’s sighs of boredom transformed into a giddy giggle. He waved at Levi and hopped up and down a few times with excitement. To occupy himself even more, he started making goofy faces at Levi. He stuck his tongue out, set his glove on top of his head, and crossed his eyes to make himself look even more ridiculous. Levi was shouting something at him, but Eren couldn’t quite hear it, so he kept on with his foolish expressions.

But, finally, he heard the three words Levi kept on repeating. “Eren, the ball!” Levi pointed down the field toward the baseball that was arcing through the air. When Eren glanced back, he realized the ball was flying his way. With a huge jump and flying hands, he caught it mid-air.

His teammates cheered at the unlikely catch while Eren tossed the ball back to the pitcher. Instead of basking in their praise, he was watching Levi sigh with relief and shake his head with a little smile. “Silly brat,” Eren watched him say, reading his lips.

After the game, he ran up to Levi and tackled him into a hug. He was dripping with sweat and probably smelled atrocious, but he didn’t care. Levi didn’t seem to mind either, surprisingly enough, and hugged Eren back. In the back of Eren’s head, he wondered if Levi had been more affectionate because he had to leave soon. He’d been counting down the days and they didn’t have many more left. Both of them seemed to savor each one, staying up late on phone calls and going on a new adventure every afternoon.

Time was moving far too quickly and with every passing hour, Eren grew more anxious. He pushed past it though, living in denial for as long as he could until their final day together came.

They spent it like a normal day, one without a hopeless eventuality. Eren wanted so badly to be happy for Levi, but it was difficult as hell when all he wanted was for Levi to stay close to him. The first time they separated wasn’t successful, so what proved that separating again would be? As much as he wanted to hide his true feelings, it was nearly impossible with the distressed pheromones hanging around him. Levi suggested acting as if it were just another summer day to help Eren calm his nerves, but it simply wasn’t working. They lay in the backyard on a blanket, watching the clouds go by. They ate dinner with their families and spent the last few hours of the evening counting stars. It was lazy and Eren would have felt like a bum if he hadn’t been so focused on soaking up Levi’s presence. Both he and Levi would rather go out and have some sort of adventure, but neither had the energy to do anything other than lay side-by-side while making idle comments about the sky or a menial pondering. Even though the day seemed uneventful, Eren knew it’d live within his fondest memories.

He recited every little second of it as he got ready for bed. The next morning, Levi would leave and he’d be alone. His heart clenched uncomfortably every time that cruel truth hit him. When he trudged back into his room, preparing to get into bed and lie awake all night with dread, he noticed Levi was standing in his bedroom as well.

Eren gravitated toward his window, opening it as far as he could to lean out. He grabbed a marble from a cup he kept by the sill and threw one at Levi’s window. It popped off the glass with a little ‘click’ and joined the other marbles in the grass below Levi’s window. It was enough to get the Alpha’s attention. Levi opened his own window and cocked his head to the side. Eren could see him glancing at his clock, probably wondering what Eren wanted at eleven o’clock at night.

“I’m coming over,” Eren announced in a half-shout, half-whisper. He knew sneaking out of the house so late wouldn’t be approved by his parents and they’d probably get in trouble if they found out. Eren didn’t care. He slipped out of the window and inched it closed behind him before making his way to Levi’s. With a little hop and help from the Alpha, he hefted himself up and into Levi’s bedroom. The scent of sweet citrus hit him immediately and his body finally relaxed a little.

“What’s wrong?” Levi asked, looking and smelling a bit worried.

“Can I… just sleep here? With you?” Eren asked, already making his way to Levi’s bed. He knew the Alpha’s answer already and didn’t need to wait for the affirmative.

“Sure,” Levi answered anyway, shucking off his shirt and tightening the strings on his pajama pants. Eren straightened out his own night shirt and pants, a mismatched pair that probably wasn’t very attractive. The shirt was one of Levi’s old ones and his pants were a pair of his dad’s. Even so, Levi looked at him like he was the light of the world.

Eren snuggled in first and scooted his way over so Levi had room too. They were both squashed into a twin-sized bed, but it only gave Eren an accuse to cuddle up even further. It was a perfect, vulnerable moment pressed up so closely to his boyfriend. The words came out rather hastily, but honestly, “I want you to mark me.”

After a few, quiet seconds when Eren could only hear his own heart beating, Levi replied with the gravest of tones, “I can’t.”

It made Eren’s eyes go wide in the darkness. The response wasn’t what he expected at all. Usually when he divulged his deepest desires, Levi would gift him with whatever they were. Eren put his heart on the line, and for the first time in his life, Levi pushed it back.

 _I can’t._ What was that supposed to mean? Eren started to panic. Did Levi not want him anymore? Was he going to leave Eren now that they couldn’t be close together anymore? Nothing he’d ever done made it seem that way, but to reject Eren’s feelings made it seem to be so.

“Eren, your scent…” Levi softly, calmly spoke. “You’re afraid.”

Eren flew up out of bed and stumbled toward the window, intent on getting as far away as possible. How could Levi reject him like that? Why would he push Eren away? Was he not good enough anymore?

“Eren,” Levi stated again, his voice growing with a more disciplined tone. “Stay here so we can talk about this.”

The Omega’s hands met the window latch when suddenly, Levi’s command took hold of his movements. “Stay,” Levi lowly growled. The familiarity of Levi’s word binding chained Eren in his place and even offered just a little bit of comfort and direction. As much as he wanted to argue against it, he was a little relieved that Levi wanted him to stay. “Come back here.”

Eren sighed and returned to bed, sitting at the edge as far away as he could from the Alpha. Just because he found relief in Levi wanting him to stay didn’t mean he wasn’t angry and confused about being rejected.

“A mating mark is permanent. It’s lifelong. It doesn’t _ever_ fade away,” Levi stated carefully. “And it shouldn’t be treated so recklessly. A marking should be thought-out and sacred.”

“You don’t think I thought it out? You don’t think this is the only thing I’ve ever wanted?” Eren spat, ready to argue.

“Eren,” Levi warned.

The Omega huffed and crossed his arms, standing right back up again. “So, you don’t want me, then?”

“That’s not what I said.” Levi readjusted to sit at the edge of the bed so he could stare Eren down in the darkness. With just the moonlight illuminating the room, Levi’s eyes glimmered with a specific kind of heat, one that wouldn’t be challenged. Eren would challenge it anyway, though, ready to combat any excuse. He stormed over to stand before Levi, staring down at him with a furious glare.

“But it’s what you meant,” he growled.

“You’re getting ahead of yourself. Slow down and think. I love you and you know that.”

“Do I?” Eren’s emotions ran high and yanked some tears from his eyes. He wasn’t sure whether they were from anger or despair, but it didn’t matter. His vision and thoughts were closed in on the rushing sensation of being abandoned. For Eren, the conversation was over. He made his way toward the window again. Levi probably called out for him to stop again, but Eren wasn’t listening anymore. He slipped out of the window and back to his own bedroom where he could sob in peace. He’d have to get used to it, after all. As far as Eren cared, Levi was already gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seriously, thank you all so much for your support! <3 I am so happy you're enjoying the story as we move along! I recently got a question on Tumblr asking if they will ever take their relationship to the next step in this story and I can assure you they will! I has become a much slower burn than I had originally intended, oops ^^" I thank you all for your patience on that front! <3
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	42. Chapter 42

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi: 19  
> Eren: 15

No sleep came to the guilty and Levi was not exempt from that fact. He tossed and turned a few times, wondering what the hell he needed to do. Eren’s emotions ran high and hot as usual, dictating his actions over logic. It became clear to Levi that the gap between them was greater than he’d always thought, Eren’s immaturity proving it for the Alpha. Most of the time, they were able to meet eye-to-eye but occasionally Eren’s raging hormones took over and left him hotheaded and blind to reason.

He noticed the little lamp still on in Eren’s room, meaning that the Omega was still awake as they neared four in the morning. Rather than letting them both stew in disappointment, Levi threw on a white t-shirt and some slip-on shoes before hefting his window open and clambering out. He walked the few steps between their houses and knocked a few times lightly on Eren’s window. Even though he didn’t get a response, Levi tried to open the window from the outside. Finding that the old, sliding window wasn’t locked, he heaved himself up and let himself into Eren’s room. The first thing that Levi noticed was how messy the entire room was, with clothing and books scattered everywhere. It was a pigsty, per usual. The unusual thing Levi noticed was the heavy scent lingering in the air. He scrunched up his nose a few times at the pure negativity his Omega was exuding. It made his heart fall and his nerves tingle with aggression. While his instincts were all telling him to attack whatever was upsetting Eren, his heart knew that the only one to blame was himself.

“Eren,” Levi spoke as softly as he could, slowly approaching the bed and sitting down on the edge. Eren was a shivering ball under his blanket, refusing to look at Levi. “Come on, let’s talk about this,” Levi urged again, setting a gentle hand on the lump that was Eren.

Eren’s body seemed to melt into relaxation at Levi’s touch, but his tone differed from the obvious relief when he muttered, “Go away.”

“If you didn’t want me to come over here, you would have locked the window,” Levi pointed out. Eren’s scent seemed to bend and shift into something a little less terrible as Levi’s calming pheromones filled the space. “I don’t want to leave with us like this,” he sighed. In that moment, he knew he needed to be the mature one who helped them talk things through. It didn’t help that his stubborn little Omega gave him the silent treatment, though.

Eren wanted a mating mark, but he knew nothing of the risks involved. As much as Levi wanted to believe that they would get a happily ever after, those things were never guaranteed to anyone. His mother surely didn’t get one after receiving two different mating marks and Levi had to hold her while she suffered through the repercussions. The last thing he would ever want is for Eren to feel that same pain, _especially_ if Levi were responsible for that pain. It wasn’t that he couldn’t give Eren mating mark or didn’t want to, it was that he couldn’t hurt Eren. In Levi’s mind, a mark and pain went hand-in-hand. In Eren’s, they were a sign of everlasting love.

“If you don’t want to mark me, then what’s the point?” Eren finally muttered, huddling himself further into his blankets as if they were some kind of shield or defense mechanism. However, he didn’t move away from the Alpha’s hand still resting on him.

“I want to mark you, Eren,” Levi assured. “Just not _yet_.”

“Because you think we’ll break up,” the Omega accused.

“No. It’s because a mating mark should be… special. I don’t want to give you one and then leave. It isn’t something to be given so frivolously. It’s a serious commitment and one that I don’t want to start while we’re apart.” Levi tried his best to voice his feelings into words, leaving out the bit about how terrified he was of the stupid marks. He didn’t want to scare Eren any further or lead him to think that Levi wouldn’t ever give him one. Of course, he’d want to see his marks on Eren’s pretty throat, but he needed time to prepare himself for that.

Luckily, Eren turned and sat up, letting the blanket fall into his lap. His face was puffy and blotted with tear trails. Red eyes and dark circles under his eyes displayed his inner turmoil and sadness. Levi opened his arms to allow Eren to crash into an embrace, which he did. Sobs shook Eren’s body as he let his cries loose into Levi’s shirt.

“Shh, hey, it’s okay,” Levi tried to soothe his Omega. “Let’s talk about what has you upset.” He figured talking things through slowly may help Eren calm down and see the logical side of their disagreement.

“You’re leaving me,” Eren grumbled, still hiding his face against Levi’s chest.

“Only because I don’t have any other choice. I don’t want to leave you and if I didn’t have to in order to go to this school, I wouldn’t.”

“Then _mark me,_ ” Eren pulled away just to glare at Levi. “It’s special enough because it’s _us_.”

Eren’s scent was changing and morphing again, just like his mood. There was something familiar about it, something that made Levi’s own emotions twist and spiral. He suddenly realized what had been transpiring. The scents around them voiced an upcoming heat, one that Levi knew he couldn’t take part in. Mating marks may have been in question, but they both agreed it’d be better to spend their heats and ruts apart. Of course, once the grasps of a heat and rut took their minds they’d think differently, but while they were still sane they both knew it was for the better.

“Levi,” Eren whined, demanding some kind of reply or answer.

He was stuck between three rocks and a hard place. Levi needed to give Eren space and leave before Eren’s heat truly began. He needed to assure Eren that he still wanted him, that they were still courting. He needed to persuade Eren into thinking rationally about the mating mark, which would have been an uphill battle due to his Omega’s immaturity and heat-hazed brain.

“Come here a little closer,” Levi urged, helping tear out the blanket from around them so Eren could sit properly on his lap, straddling him around the waist and looking eye-to-eye. Levi knew Eren wouldn’t object to ‘a little closer’ and that gave him a better space to talk things through.

Eren was already tilting his head to show off his bare neck, exposing and waiting for Levi to sink his teeth into him. When Levi didn’t move right away, Eren squirmed in his lap and whined some more like an anxious puppy. His scent was nearly intoxicating, edging on something that could enchant him for good and force him to stay.

“I’ll come back on the weekends and scent mark you until you can’t take it anymore. We’ll leave tons of my stuff here so you’ll always have it with you. And in just a few years, you’ll be done with school and can come live with me so we can be together all the time,” Levi tried to think of all the things they could look forward to, and what they could do to make things work. “You can even come to the city and visit me, too.”

“Yeah?” Eren whipped his head back so he could look at Levi with starry eyes.

“Yeah,” Levi confirmed with a little smile meant to comfort. “It won’t be so bad. I promise.”

“I love you,” Eren pressed his lips against Levi’s shoulder, leaving little kisses along the hem of Levi’s shirt and up toward his neck. The gentle touch felt reassuring that Eren wasn’t completely upset any longer and Levi leaned into it.

“Are you feeling better?” he asked, just to confirm his suspicions.

“Much better,” Eren hummed. In one fluid motion, his kisses turned into open-mouthed sucking. Levi figured if Eren wanted to leave a mark on him, a hickey was a great substitution to an actual mating mark. Even though he knew he’d get shit for it from Historia and Erwin, he didn’t mind them at all. He preferred the wet, sucking noises that filled the room compared to Eren’s cries. With comforting hands, he rubbed careful circles over Eren’s bare back to warm chilled skin and draw out a happier scent from his Omega. For the first time since Eren’s obsession with mating marks, he finally felt like a good Alpha. It’d be okay. It’d be okay. He finally felt it to be true.

Twin canines sank into his neck.

Levi couldn’t even gasp out Eren’s name when he realized what the Omega was doing. He felt the hotness on his neck, but not the puncture of flesh. He felt the rush of adrenaline kicking in and the urge to bite Eren back, but he was too shocked to do so. His entire body froze at Eren’s will, letting the Omega finish. Eren would have to bite in deep enough to leave a scar and he wasn’t quite there yet. For some reason, Eren seemed to freeze in place two. The two of them stilled together with Eren’s teeth millimeters from branding Levi with a real mating mark that would last a lifetime.

Levi was able to choke out, “Eren, stop.” It was in a mangled voice that barely rose above a whisper.

At that moment, a flurry of scents filled the room. Terror, shame, anger, and despair swirled around them in a violent maelstrom. They all came from Eren, one who would always wear his heart on his sleeve and never hide his scents. His jaw unhinged and he pushed himself of Levi so hard that he fell to the floor. Even when his tailbone hit the floor with a sharp _smack_ , he disregarded it and simply scooted himself to the far corner of the room. His eyes were wide and he curled himself up into the smallest ball he could as he huddled away.

The steady stream of blood from Levi’s neck started to drip onto Eren’s sheets. Levi’s hand flew up to cover the wound, though it didn’t do much good as the hot liquid spilled over his hand. In his haste, Levi grabbed a shirt from Eren’s clean laundry pile on the floor and balled it up to place over the aching bite marks.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Eren kept crying. He rocked himself back and forth in a meager effort to comfort himself. Unlike his usual self, Eren couldn’t even meet Levi’s eye. He kept his eyes pinned to the ground and let the tears drop to the floor.

For Levi, it was all petrifying. His Omega was sobbing in the corner, afraid to even look at him. His neck was bleeding profusely and his head started to feel light between his wounds and the pheromones buzzing around them. The scents in the room were clouding his thoughts and emotions. The only thing he could manage to do was clamber off the bed in a clumsy movement and crawl across the floor to Eren. He practically dragged himself all the way to the corner where Eren was still shaking while holding onto that shirt with a death grip to his neck, hoping the bleeding would eventually stop.

“You okay?” he managed to ask, curling up right beside Eren. He shuffled himself up so he could lean back against the wall and lean on Eren’s shoulder.

Eren was quiet as he turned to look at Levi with a furrowed brow. “Am _I_ okay?”

“Are you?” Levi pressed with growing concern.

Eren’s expression of confusion fell to nothing but sadness as he frowned at the bloody t-shirt pressed up against Levi’s neck.

“Eren?” Grisha threw open the bedroom door to survey the situation. Beyond the alarming scents in the room, he noticed the blood. “Levi! Are you okay?”

When Grisha took another step into the room, a low growl erupted from Levi’s aching throat, one of warning. He and Eren were in a vulnerable situation and another Alpha was invading. The logical side of Levi’s brain knew that Grisha didn’t pose a threat, but his inner, raging Alpha was at the helm.

“Levi?” Carla appeared in the doorway, cocking her head at the scene. Her eyes visibly widened when she spotted Levi’s bleeding neck and her hands went straight for her cell phone that must have been resting in the pocket of her robe. “Grisha, keep an eye on them, but don’t invade their space. I’m calling Kuchel.”

“Right,” Grisha sighed, taking a step back toward the doorway and resting against the frame. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and shook his head slowly, “What have you two gotten yourselves into this time?”

Based on their reactions, Levi wondered if Eren’s teeth created a real mating mark. He hadn’t thought so, but perhaps those marks would eventually scar. From what he’d been taught, the marks were supposed to link him to Eren in some kind of way but he didn’t feel any different. Perhaps it was because he didn’t bite Eren back? Levi wasn’t sure, he didn’t know how the marks worked exactly and it was too spiritual and emotional of a process to teach them in school.

The minutes passed by in a flash and soon enough, the familiar scent of his mother and Hannes joined them. Her soft voice lulled him into a docile peace. “Levi, would you come here so I can help you with your neck?” It was such a reasonable request that he couldn’t disobey.

When he started to get up from his seat, a pair of shaking hands gripped onto his bicep and yanked him right back down. Eren’s short fingernails dug half-crescents into Levi’s arm from holding on so hard.

“I’ll be right back,” Levi promised, looking down at the Omega to see a new round of tears in his eyes. He’d do anything to make Eren feel better, even if he wasn’t certain he’d be able to rejoin Eren again. With the beginning of a heat upon his Omega, there was no telling what was safe for them anymore. In the back of his mind, Levi knew he wouldn’t even be able to kiss his boyfriend good bye. “It’ll be okay.”

Eren fell limp back in his seat, only watching with quivering pupils as Levi slowly got up and let his mom take him by the hand to pull him out of Eren’s room. With Levi at a safe distance from Eren, Grisha took Levi’s old spot and let Eren cry on his shoulder. As much as Levi wanted to be there for him and let Eren cry on him, he knew it was better for Eren to be with his dad. While the rules they’d both created for their relationship seemed to crumble with one bite, he’d never overstay his welcome while Eren was close to a heat. It’d be best for both of them to separate, even though Levi’s heart was aching.

Everything felt wrong. Their last night together wasn’t supposed to end in bloodshed and tears. It wasn’t supposed to end in the loss of control or doubt. Everything that had built up between them still lingered heavily in the air, but there was nothing either could do about it. As much as Levi wanted to talk, there wasn’t anything left to say and they had run out of time for any sort of logical discussion.

The early morning passed by him in a blur as his mom and Hannes shuffled him back home to clean off his neck and urged him to get some sleep before taking off for university. It was only until he’d fallen back into his bed that he was able to process time again. He glanced over to Eren’s window, only to find that the curtains had been closed shut. He assumed Eren’s parents had locked the window from both sides in preparation for his heat as well.

As much as he doubted Eren would see it, Levi did the only thing he could do at that point. He sent Eren a text.

Levi [4:52am]: I wish it didn’t have to end that way, but know that I love you.

It wasn’t enough to voice his entire thought process or feelings, but he felt it was enough to give Eren a little bit of reassurance. Levi wondered why he’d missed the signs of Eren’s heat and counted down the days since his last one, realizing it had sprung up earlier than ever. It must have taken everyone by surprise as Eren’s parents seemed oblivious to the slight changes in Eren’s scent too.

Levi’s fingers grazed over the bandage on his neck, still wondering about the bite. Would it seal them together for eternity? Would it scar and become a permanent part of his body, mind, and soul? If it did, he decided he couldn’t regret it. Not a single thought in his mind wished for those markings to go away.

Holding back from giving Eren a marking had been out of cautious love. Levi didn’t want Eren to regret the markings later in life, nor did he want to sign him up for a life-long relationship while he was still so young. They had plenty of time left together and Levi was in no rush to exchange those markings.

He thought about his mom a lot and how she never seemed to regret those marks either, even when they pained her to the point of tears. It suddenly dawned on him that he felt the same way. He wasn’t afraid of giving Eren the opportunity to hurt him via the marking, because he knew Eren wouldn’t. Even if he did, it’d be worth it to have something special with the person he truly loved.

But there was always more time and whether or not those puncture wounds in his neck would heal or scar over, Levi knew he’d hold no regrets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a bittersweet chapter for our duo, but I suppose mistakes happen in every relationship no matter how lovely! Thank you all so much for your patience with me- I've been taking a lot of time to decide where to take this story next! Thank you all for your support and comments too, I am so very happy you're enjoying this story <3
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	43. Chapter 43

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi: 19  
> Eren: 15

“So, he’s avoiding you still?” Erwin asked. He asked every morning as the two milled around their apartment in a lazy routine they’d built up effortlessly. “And you’re still drinking my strawberry tea. Will you stop that and buy some of you own?”

“Yes and no,” Levi answered flatly. He’d been in a sour mood that even sweet strawberry tea couldn’t heal. Erwin had scolded him for throwing in way too many spoons of sugar into it, but Levi needed the sweetness if he was going to get through another day of law school without ripping someone’s head off.

Their apartment was modest, with just two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a main area with a kitchen and living space. It showed its age with cracked paint, dusty oak floors, and the scent of moth balls that never seemed to go away even with the scents of two Alphas fogging up the space. Erwin’s timber-like scent mixed in with Levi’s citrus equated to a forest-like mixture that was much nicer than moth balls, but alas it never stuck. Both of the bedrooms were tiny, with just enough room for a twin-sized bed, a desk, and a small dresser. Even with its limited space and questionable smells, Levi found it perfect for them. He wondered if Eren would like it.

After a week and a half, his mom called him to confirm Eren was back in school and over his heat. Even so, Levi got no response to any texts or calls he made to Eren. He didn’t want to smother Eren, so he didn’t leave too many messages but he did make sure to text Eren their standard ‘goodnight’ at the end of each day because he wasn’t a complete barbarian. The worst part was that his new schedule took some unexpected getting used to, which meant he wasn’t able to drive home since he’d arrived in the city.

“Do you think he’s still feeling guilty about biting you? Did you tell him he didn’t create a mark?” Erwin gestured toward Levi’s healing neck.

“Yeah, I let him know. He really couldn’t control himself in the moment, so I can’t even be mad.”

“That kid could stab you with a fork and you wouldn’t be mad,” Erwin chuckled. “I’m surprised he’s so timid with you now.”

“It was clearly out of his control,” Levi stated. “If he’d been fully functional, I _would_ have been mad.”

“I doubt it,” Erwin snorted. “You get mad at the little things, like when I leave dishes in the sink.”

“That’s not mad. That’s just being a normal, clean person who doesn’t live like a slob.”

“Tell that to me again come final exam time this semester. I bet even _you_ won’t mind a little clutter. And when you and Eren live together… I know your boy is a messy little thing.”

“He cleans when I ask him to,” Levi thought fondly of the idea. He knew Eren would never be a house-husband like most Omegas, but the kid could definitely clean when motivated.

A quick knock at the door was all the warning they got before Isabel and Farlan walked into their apartment. Their apartment complex was popular with the students at the city university, and his old friends happened to live in the building next door. After a little reunion between the trio when he’d first arrived, they made themselves happily welcome in Levi’s life again. It also meant that they befriended Erwin as well.

Farlan had grown into an Alpha, just like he used to dream about. Isabel, a Beta, much to her own relief. Apparently, Farlan and Erwin were in the same major and ended up having a lot of classes together. So, every morning, Farlan and Isabel would drop by before heading to their classes. Farlan and Erwin would take the long walk toward the law buildings while Isabel and Levi shared their morning general education classes together.

“So, I changed my major again,” Isabel announced. “I want to be an outdoor recreation specialist.”

“Like a park ranger?” Erwin asked, trying to figure out what the hell she was talking about.

“Yeah! I could use those zip-lines they have to save a bear from a fire or something!” she exclaimed, zooming around the room on her pretend line. “Beats becoming an office jockey. Plus, I’d get a killer tan. I think I’d die if I had to stay indoors all day, away from the sun. That reminds me…”

“If you email our professor asking if we can have class outside again, I’m going to kick you out of class myself,” Levi grumbled, still working on draining his second cup of strawberry tea.

“Already done. It’s too gorgeous of a day not to at least ask,” Isabel raised her phone to show off the sent email. “But, no. I was going to ask you about my favorite sunshine boy, Eren.”

“You’ve never met,” Levi reminded her.

“He’s still my favorite. He’s like a little ball of sunshine with those pretty eyes of his,” she cooed. “And the way he makes you light up is nothing less than magical.”

“Eren is still avoiding him,” Erwin announced. “Maybe I should ask Armin about it. I think I still have his number…”

“Do it. We’ve got to get to the bottom of this before Levi implodes,” Farlan urged, taking a seat on the armrest of the couch. Erwin stood next to him as they formulated a text for one of Eren’s closest friends.

“If we all don’t get our asses moving, we’ll be late,” Levi sighed, getting irritated with all of them muddling in his relationship troubles. They were acting like middle schoolers the way they all gathered around Erwin’s phone, anxiously waiting for some kind of answer from Armin.

Levi found himself lingering too, merely out of curiosity. He had briefly thought about texting Eren’s friends, but let the thought go as it might have bordered on ‘too much’.

Unfortunately, they all had to part ways before Armin could text back. Levi would endure another day of agony, anxiously waiting for the weekend so he could finally head back home.

* * *

Armin sighed for the fifth time that afternoon while Eren continued his week-long sulk. After school, they all met up at Mikasa’s house again to work on homework and work on Eren’s attitude. Mikasa, Armin, and Eren all gathered on her living room floor with their books and class notes sprawled out between them. Mikasa spent her time on English lessons while Armin worked on his geometry. Eren, on the other hand, rested his head on Armin’s thigh and glared at his backpack. Inside, Armin knew, was Eren’s cell phone that he’d refused to turn on after Levi left.

“You’ll have to talk to him eventually,” Armin reminded him with a little teasing in his tone. He was running out of patience for Eren’s stubbornness. “I bet he’s worried about you.”

“Or he’s angry with me,” Eren pouted childishly. “I didn’t mean…”

“To bite him,” Mikasa finished. Eren had been running around the same thoughts in his head for so long, she and Armin memorized every one of his concerns. “You didn’t mean to bite him,” she clarified. “You didn’t mean to push him into something he didn’t want. You didn’t mean to force it on him. You were just afraid of him leaving.”

“Yeah,” Eren huffed, obviously annoyed with her.

Over the summer, Mikasa presented as a Beta but leaning more toward the Alpha side of the spectrum. Her scent was stronger than Armin’s and pleasant too, like a bouquet of daisies. It was clean, fresh, and very much like herself as it wasn’t heavily perfumed or demanded too much attention. Armin presented as a Beta too, with an even more neutral scent that reminded people of peppermint. He didn’t mind becoming a Beta whatsoever, as most of his friends and family predicted he’d end up as an Omega. As much as Armin believed in Eren, he knew that Omegas needed to work twice as hard to further their education which was one of Armin’s primary goals.

“At least Kuchel told you that you didn’t actually mark him,” Armin offered, trying to point out the more positive facts of the situation. “And…” he was interrupted by his phone that continued to vibrate. When he flicked the screen, he noticed it was Erwin.

Erwin [5:12pm]: Hello Armin, this is Erwin Smith. We were wondering how Eren is faring these days. We haven’t heard from him in a while and Levi is getting worried.

Armin flashed is phone toward Eren to show off the message. “See? If Erwin is texting me, Levi must really be concerned.”

Eren squinted at the message while he scanned it over and shrugged, falling back onto the floor and resting his head on Armin’s thigh. “I can’t just call him up.”

“Why not?” Mikasa challenged.

“Because I nearly marked him and now it’s awkward. I doubt he’d want me to just _call_ him. What sort of conversation would that be? ‘Hey, sorry I tried to give you a marking without your consent and after you told me you didn’t want to yet’. Please.” He mimicked his own voice in a stupid tone, conveying just how terrible that conversation would go. “Plus, he’ll probably just break up with me the second he gets a chance.”

“I don’t think he’ll do that,” Mikasa flatly responded, turning her nose back toward her notebook.

“Maybe it’d be better if he did,” Eren was back to pouting and ruining himself in his own mind again. Armin could see the self-destructive thoughts eating away at Eren’s typically bright nature. “Then he wouldn’t have to deal with me anymore. He could have fun in college. He could… he could…” _Find someone new._

Armin sensed a wave of Omega depression and the strong scent nearly toppled him over and choked him. “Eren,” he comforted in an effort to reel his friend back in. “He wants to be with you. It’s obvious. You need to reach out to him and talk this out before it becomes the end of you.”

“Hey, Levi,” Mikasa had her phone up to her ear, talking so casually that it stunned both Eren and Armin into silence. “Yeah, he’s right here with us. What did you do to make him so upset?”

“It wasn’t his fault!” Eren burst, upset that Levi was wrongly accused. Of course, in Mikasa’s opinion, the Alpha should have taken better control of the altercation.

A brief quiet period lasted while Levi spoke to her and eventually, she stuck out her phone to Eren. “Go on,” she urged.

Eren just shook his head and kept his eyes to the floor.

Mikasa sighed and placed the phone back by her ear. “He’s not ready yet, I guess. I’ll let him know you’ll be here this weekend, though.”

Eren perked right back up as she announced Levi’s return and Armin watched as he could see Eren’s guilt-ridden thoughts swimming around again. The Omega’s scent wasn’t any better and if anything, Eren seemed even sadder. Perhaps he was anxious about seeing his boyfriend again after all of the avoidance.

Either way, Armin just wanted Eren to be happy again. He was sick of watching his friend suffer. While Levi seemed quick to forgive and understand that no one was truly at fault, Eren just couldn’t seem to let it go.

All Armin and Mikasa could do was wait it out and be as supportive as they could. Armin truly wished that’d be enough to save Eren from even more heartache.

* * *

After the grueling task of finishing their homework, Eren walked himself home that night. He could hear Levi’s voice in his head, urging him to have one of his friends walk with him or to call his parents to pick him up, but Eren needed the fresh air to think properly.

He was a failure of an Omega, in every single way possible.

Levi expressed his concerns for mating marks, but Eren still couldn’t zap the thought from his mind. He was internally terrified of being left alone again, but knew that there was no other way. There were plenty of other people he knew in long distance relationships, so why did it have to hurt him so badly? Why was he so afraid? He was drowning in doubt and nothing seemed to free him of the hands of guilt. Even though he knew he hadn’t _really_ marked Levi, he still did and without his boyfriend’s consent. And even after Levi had explained why he wanted to wait, Eren wouldn’t listen. His body didn’t listen.

“So stupid,” Eren pinched he bridge of his nose roughly, giving himself a little physical punishment.

Perhaps it _was_ better if he’d break up with Levi and set his best friend free.

Eren defined himself as the worst Omega in the world, and Levi was the best Alpha that Eren knew. Levi needed someone mature, strong, and smart like himself. He didn’t need Eren, who was always causing issues and straining Levi’s patience.

He felt like he broke an invisible rule between them, pushing Levi’s boundaries and causing a mess. Eren felt his heat coming on early, but was so wrapped up in spending the summer’s remaining time with his boyfriend that he didn’t say anything about it. He knew he only had himself to blame.

Eren battled in his mind during the entirety of his walk, completely soaked up in his own thoughts and nearly unaware of the world around him. However, when he came up to his front yard and saw an unfamiliar car in Levi’s driveway, Eren had to wonder who it was. The car was shiny, silver, luxurious, and seemingly brand new. It wasn’t Levi’s, though, which made Eren deflate a little.

He let himself inside to find his parents cuddling in the living room.

“How was your study date?” his mom asked with a sleepy smile.

“Fine,” he sighed.

“Did you eat dinner there?”

“Yeah, we had pizza earlier.”

“Get all your work done?”

“Yep.”

They both exchanged looks and his dad asked, “Did you… talk to Levi yet?”

Eren was quickly growing frustrated that everyone was asking about it. “No,” he grumbled. “Who’s at Levi’s house anyway? Did Hannes get a new car?”

His dad squinted in confusion before leaning up to glance out the window. When he spotted the car, he paused for a moment and stood to get a better look. His mom joined him and they both whispered a bit until they both grabbed for their cell phones.

“Hannes? Are you with Kuchel?” Grisha asked in a hurry when Hannes picked up the phone. He moved to another room, leaving Carla and Eren alone.

“I think you should get some sleep. It might calm your mind,” she ushered him back to his bedroom.

“Okay…” Eren disregarded her strange tone and figured he might as well _try_ to sleep.

“Goodnight, honey. Things will be better by tomorrow, you’ll see,” she promised like she had every night before that. Instead of waiting for him to respond, she shut his bedroom door with him inside and probably headed back to her spot on the couch.

Eren shucked off his school clothes in favor of dressing in some of Levi’s hand-me-down’s. They still faintly smelled of citrus which comforted Eren in a strange way. He’d need all the comfort he could get while he had to make the toughest decision of his life.

Could they still be friends if they broke up? Would they go back to the way things were? Would they not talk anymore? They already hadn’t spoken in weeks and it made Eren’s heart hurt. Could he even handle being apart from Levi like that? Could he bear it if Levi courted someone else? No, but he couldn’t bear to even look his friend in the face after nearly trapping them into a lifelong bond without agreement first either. His friends all urged him to just talk it out, but what was there left to talk about?

He still loved Levi and that seemed to be the biggest thing holding him back from finally turning on his phone and facing the truth. Levi would be so much better without him, and Eren couldn’t allow himself to come that close to hurting him again.

That was it, that’s what he wanted. He wanted to set a new distance between them so that he couldn’t hurt Levi, even if he tried. He wanted to lock himself away from the potential of biting again. He wanted to keep Levi safe and happy, even if that meant stepping out of the picture. He didn’t want to talk it out and take the chance of it happening again, he wanted out from under the hundred pounds of worry and guilt that he felt.

His days of deliberate thought on how and why he needed to subtract himself from Levi’s life paid off as he got to the bottom of it. He’d protect Levi by not getting to close ever again. It was like the days when Levi used to use his word binding without meaning to, except Eren didn’t deserve second chances.

He grabbed his phone and turned it on for the first time since Levi left. It took forever to flicker on, which only prolonged Eren’s inevitable call to Levi. He waited as the screen loaded up, feeling the tension in his gut spiral and turn. His heart beat quickly and everything in his body told him not to do it, not to lose the one person he cared about most.

At the time, though, it seemed like the only thing that would help him move past his mistake. Perhaps it was crazy, overthought, and unnecessary, but Eren had slowly built up the courage to make the call. All he had to do was wait for his phone to flicker on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading <3 Poor Eren may have gotten a bit overwhelmed. Let's all give him a group hug. <3 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	44. Chapter 44

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi: 19  
> Eren: 15
> 
> *Sort of a disclaimer before reading- this chapter gets a little more tense than others with serious domestic abuse. I've added some more warnings in the tags, so please read with caution. I can only use my own experiences to base this work off of and have glazed over a lot of elements that would occur in reality, but please remember this is a work of fiction.*

The opening chime for Eren’s phone dinged when it finally spurred to life. Eren teared up at his home screen with a photo of himself and Levi on it, a rare photo where Levi is genuinely smiling and not doing the forced one that he usually threw on for photos.

And then his messages started coming through, all from Levi.

_Are you okay? I tried calling but it wouldn’t go through._

_It isn’t a mating mark. It’s healing._

There was a goodnight text for each night they’d been apart. There were a few sporadic ones, ranging from _I miss you_ to _Where the fuck are you, Jaeger?_

Eren blinked tears from his eyes as he laughed at a few of the crass messages, ones voicing Levi’s frustrations. There were more of those than any others.

_Text me back, you silly fuck._

_Answer your goddamn phone. Are you taking a massive shit or something?_

The undated messages made Eren’s heart jump a little with glee. His phone didn’t record when he got them or in what order because it had been off the entire time, but they didn’t have to be in order to make him smile. He regretted wanting to break things off with Levi and for the fact it even crossed his mind.

But then the last message came in.

_I wish it didn’t have to end that way, but know that I love you._

Eren squinted at that text, wondering what Levi meant. End? Had they been broken up that entire time and Eren didn’t realize it? Was Levi already done with him? No other texts came through after that one.

“Oh,” Eren slowly realized. After weeks of waiting, Levi decided it was time to end it for good. The last three words must have meant that he still loved Eren as a friend and a neighbor, but nothing more.

And it was all over a text. It was unlike Levi, but Eren obviously didn’t give him any other choice. Perhaps that was what Levi needed to be for him: a friend and nothing more. After years of knowing each other, it had always seemed like fate but Eren figured that not everything needed to be decided by the stars.

He told himself that ten times over, but it didn’t stop the tears from streaming down his face. It didn’t stop the burning of his lungs as he tried again and again to get a decent breath of air.

He knocked himself in the brain a few times to try and get his emotions under control, but it didn’t work at all. Levi’s scent was still in the air, still in his system. The clothes Eren wore seemed to be embedded with citrus sweetness. His pillows and blankets carried the aroma in a way that Eren had always found to be comforting.

It seemed unlike Levi to end whatever they had with something as simple as a text. Eren deserved more than a few words typed out, he deserved an explanation. For once, he figured he’d better _talk_ to Levi rather than rushing to stupid conclusions. He nearly laughed when remembering Armin and Mikasa’s warnings about his tendency to react with his emotions rather than logic. Perhaps he’d actually listen to them for once.

With shaking hands, he tapped through the screens on his phone until finding Levi’s name in his contacts. It was in between a few pink hearts and smiling faces, making it easy to find in the list. With one leap of faith, he tapped to call and thrusted the phone up to his ear so hard that he knocked himself in the head with it. He ignored the dull ache and instead waited for Levi to pick up. While he had expected an immediate answer per usual, he didn’t get one. He didn’t get anything at all. In fact, he got the generic voicemail message at the end when Levi _didn’t_ answer.

Eren had held himself from jumping to conclusions before the call, but it was difficult to keep the storm cloud of dread at bay for much longer. Why did Levi have to be so far away? Why couldn’t Eren have one last taste of Levi’s scent, one last touch? He’d at least want a hug goodbye, or something of the sort. It felt so _wrong_ to find separation with only just a few words from a text message. He wanted to hear Levi’s voice, feel his warmth, and find assurance that things would turn out okay.

He tossed is phone onto the bed beside him and strut toward his window, staring across the alley to Levi’s. The curtains were pulled shut and Eren wondered if it was locked. His new goal to feel a little closer to Levi for one last time overruled his sense of boundaries.

With renewed energies, he lifted up his own window and maneuvered himself out like a thousand times before. Luckily for him, Levi’s window was unlocked and Eren could easily slide it open with ease. He hefted himself up and crawled through, careful not to knock anything over. Levi had left the space clear for years, a perfect place for Eren to sneak in from. Even before he left, it looked like he left the room spotless as ever and even scooted his dresser over to leave even more space under the window.

The first thing that hit Eren was the full, rich scent of his boyfriend… well, ex-boyfriend, he supposed. It really didn’t seem like anything had ended then. It didn’t feel any different. Perhaps it was denial? He threw that thought to the back of his mind as he inhaled the deep, citrus scent. It calmed his nerves and slowed down his mind in the best, most comforting way. His fingertips urged to pull back the blankets of Levi’s bed and huddle in for the night, surrounded by a thick wash of an Alpha’s homey pheromones. The bedroom, after all, was Levi’s ‘den’ and a special sort of sweetness tinged his usual scent. It made Eren feel calmer, safer, and helped any little bit of anxiety melt off his bones. In the peaceful, quiet setting he felt it difficult to keep reality in mind. Instead, it felt as though he were drifting in space, slowly and unafraid.

The light grey walls of the room were as bare as ever. Levi had taken down any poster or photo that used to hang up, Eren bet Levi had taken them to his new apartment and pinned them up there. The bookshelf was nearly empty, save for a few children’s books that were worn over the years and a set of dictionaries. Levi’s desk was bare too. The entire room was practically gutted, and it would have saddened Eren a bit to see it that way if he weren’t so relaxed under the spell of Levi’s scent.

Some things hadn’t changed, though. Eren peeked inside the closet to see quite a few of Levi’s clothes still there. Shoes were lined up on the floor, neatly and orderly. A lot of them were old and probably didn’t fit anymore, just like the clothes that were left behind. The bed sheets and covers were the same, the ones they used to cuddle up in while watching movies or on cold winter days. He couldn’t resist it any longer, diving into Levi’s bed and wrapping himself in those familiar sheets. They’d been washed, but still held onto the scent of sweet oranges that had Eren’s toes curling with happiness. It was almost as if Levi were there.

But he wasn’t.

He was far, far away and out of reach.

Eren’s smile dropped at the thought and his eyes started to sting with the threat of tears. Reality set in, penetrating through his shield of denial. Everything around him felt as though it were shattering and the hollow, emptiness of his world occupied his body instead, making him feel just as blank and vacant.

“Please, don’t!” Kuchel’s raspy plea broke through the silent dread of the room. She sounded as if she’d been crying or perhaps yelling. “She’s just a child and she’s safe with us!”

“I’m taking my daughter back,” a firm, low voice countered. Eren recognized it immediately as Rod Reiss’. He couldn’t forget the pure terror he felt in the man’s presence after figuring out why Levi so desperately hated the guy.

Eren abandoned Levi’s bed and dared to open up the door to Levi’s room, peeking out into the hallway. With the open door came the scents of the main room. Kuchel’s usual scent of fresh and vibrant roses smelled more like worms and rot. It was almost overpowered by a spicy cinnamon scent that demanded attention and nearly made Eren choke.

“Hannes will be here any moment. You’re not allowed to be this close. I suggest you _back off,_ ” Kuchel rebounded, her voice stronger than the last time. “Go _away_.”

“Not without Historia.”

“I don’t want to go!” Historia’s voice came out muffled, as if she were behind a door. Eren wondered if she were locked in a bathroom or her bedroom, away from Rod.

“You’re coming and that’s final. We’re getting out of this shitty country once and for all.”

“No!” Historia screeched right back.

Rod turned to Kuchel with fire in his eyes, “Unlock the damn door, Kuchel. Now.” Even Eren could tell that Rod’s scent grew in intensity, he could only imagine being in Kuchel’s place- millimeters away from the guy. He was surprised she could even breathe properly at that point.

“She doesn’t want to be with you, face it,” Kuchel fought back, standing up a little taller against Rod. “So, go home before the cops show up.”

In a flash, Rod’s entire expression changed from irritated to downright murderous. His hands whooshed up and clasped around her neck, making her gasp in shock. The low rumble of his voice filled the room, “I will do _anything_ to take my kid back and away from this shithole. If that means I need to take care of you first, I will. It’ll fix this goddamn mistake of a marking that keeps burning my neck, too.” He squeezed a little harder. “Two birds, one stone.”

Eren didn’t waste a second as he flung open Levi’s bedroom door and came sprinting upon the two. He launched himself at full force toward Rod, hurling his body at the man. At impact, Rod released Kuchel and fell to the floor under Eren. Kuchel raced toward her cell phone in the kitchen and Rod stumbled up to figure out what exactly happened. When he saw Eren, his eyes went wide yet a cruel grin spread across his reddened face. “Levi’s little boyfriend?”

“Not anymore,” Eren spat out, eyes scanning the room for something to give him the upper hand. He was stronger than most Omegas his age, but he was nothing compared to a grown male Alpha. An old, metal baseball bat stood in the corner of the room by the coatrack and Eren went to dive for it.

A hand caught him around the ankle and dragged him back away, scraping his body against the carpet and burning it. Eren ignored the pain and tried to wrench his ankle away from Rod with no use.

“Don’t be getting any ideas,” Rod growled, his scent still thick with distaste and aggression. “Just because you’re not Levi’s anymore doesn’t mean you’re not guilty for barging in.”

Rod dragged Eren around the carpet, so he could grab the baseball bat instead. The minute his fingers wrapped around the bat, he dropped Eren and started toward the kitchen.

“ _No_!” Eren screamed, scrambling up to get a hold on Rod’s leg in an attempt to trip him over.

“Down,” Rod barked, tossing a swing toward Eren’s face. It clipped his cheek with a thunk and a burning pain spread over Eren’s face, but he still refused to back down and clawed at Rod’s pants until they started to pull down. Rod used one hand to hold up the hem of his pants and the other to swing the bat toward the locked door Historia was behind. “Get out here, girl! Do it before I do something unsavory to your friend, here.”

“Don’t!” Eren yelled, “Don’t come out, Historia! It’s fine!”

Another swing of the bat caught Eren by the shoulder. He fell back from Rod, losing his grip on the Alpha’s pant leg, and coughed a few times. The wind had been knocked out of him and he could already feel pain swelling up where he’d gotten hit.

Still, he persisted and staggered up once more.

“Hey,” he breathed out, voice raspy as he panted. “Get away from that door. Now.” Eren could feel blood on his face, but he wasn’t sure how it got there. It dripped to the floor in little droplets, but he didn’t care. All he wanted to do was stall and keep Historia safe while Kuchel called for help.

“That’s it…” Rod breathed out, annoyed. He used two hands on the bat, getting a firm grip. He reeled back, prepared to hit Eren with everything he had.

“Eren!” a familiar voice called out as the front door slammed open. Eren half-expected to see Levi there, but instead it was his own father. He raced across the room to snatch Eren from his spot and put himself between Rod and Eren. “Fucking bastard _hurt my son_ ,” Grisha spat, grabbing the bat from Rod’s hands and yanking it loose. He threw it across the room and raised his fists instead, tossing a solid swing toward Rod’s jaw and hitting him square on.

Eren’s mom was right behind him then, pulling him back by the shoulders toward the kitchen. He struggled against her as his heart still raced, “I can’t leave Historia.”

“We’re here. She’s safe. You’re safe,” Carla spoke in a rushed whisper, eager to comfort her injured son. She seemed shocked and took time to fully understand the situation from Grisha beating down Rod to Kuchel’s frantic voice on the phone.

“Where is he?” a new voice came into the house and Eren peeked around the corner to see Hannes.

“Got him,” Grisha announced, gesturing to Rod on the floor. After a few punches and kicks from Grisha, he’d ended up battered and bloody.

It was almost sad the way he started to cry. “I want my daughter,” he sobbed. “You took her from me.”

“You lost her yourself,” Hannes grumbled, grabbing the handcuffs from a pocket of his uniform. “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to have an attorney. If you don’t have one or can’t afford one, one will be assigned to you…” Hannes spoke the routine words with a sigh.

Rod exercised his right to remain silent, because he didn’t say another word as another police officer walked into the house and helped Hannes escort Mr. Reiss to the cop car.

Grisha joined them in the kitchen and immediately went to Eren first, hugging onto him gently. “Are you okay, Eren? We need to get you to a hospital. You too, Kuchel.”

The red marks on Kuchel’s throat were still visible. Her hand came up to feel them, as if she’d just noticed them. For nearly being strangled to death, she looked oddly calm and at peace. Her tearful eyes went straight to Eren and she knelt down before him once Grisha let him out of the hug. “Thank you,” she whispered, taking his hands in hers. “Without you, I wouldn’t have survived. I mean it, Eren. You saved me.”

Eren shook his head and gave her the best smile he could, though his swelling face prevented a true one from showing up. “It was nothing.”

“It was everything,” she spoke firmly, emphasizing the severity of her point. “If you hadn’t showed up when you did…”

His father’s arm came around his shoulder and Carla kissed him on the forehead. The four of them huddled closely to soak in the moment before Hannes stepped in and made a beeline for Kuchel, taking her into his arms and kissing her cheeks in the most loving way. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, thanks to Eren,” she seemed to melt in his arms. The pheromones rolling off of Hannes were so strong yet contrasting. Aggression, relief, fear, and comfort all swelled out from him and made Eren’s head spin. “We need to get him to a hospital, though.”

“Eren?” the smallest voice asked from across the room. Historia stood in her pajamas with reddened eyes from crying and a trembling lip. Her scent was still filled with fear. She stood there shaking, unsure of when to move or what to do. Eren solved the issue for her by pulling away from concerned parents and hugging onto her softly. She looked like she needed one and he was too tired to be embarrassed by the compulsive action. She started sobbing in his arms and wouldn’t stop crying until they all packed into the car to head to the local hospital.

 

Time passed by like a bullet for the rest of that night and into the next morning. Miraculously, Eren only had to get stitches on his face and left with some severe bruising. The doctor guessed that Rod must have had the tiniest bit of humanity in him not to hit a child at full force with a baseball bat. To that, Grisha scoffed and muttered something about the guy being made of pure evil. It made Eren chuckle a little. His dad had been quite particular and bristly with the other doctors due to the fact that he couldn’t treat his own son himself.

A lot of strangers talked to him about how he felt about the incident and if he wanted to talk to a therapist about it. To that, he refused and explained to them that he’d gotten into tons of fights at school before and the one with Rod wasn’t really that different. He was more worried about Kuchel than anything else.

Finally, he had to talk to Hannes about the entire incident. The two of them sat in the hospital waiting room in an empty corner. Eren’s parents were still talking to the doctor, leaving the two alone. It wasn’t hard until Hannes asked a question that made Eren blush from head to toe. “Why were you in the house in the first place? How did you get in and what were you doing there?”

There was no other way to answer the question than the honest truth. “I missed Levi,” he whispered.

Luckily, Hannes knew what that meant. He understood, from those three words, what Eren had done and why.

“He misses you too, you know,” Hannes ruffled Eren’s hair lightly. “Asks about you every day.”

“Yeah? Well, he shouldn’t. We’re not even courting anymore,” Eren grumbled, getting out of his seat as his parents drew near. He was ready to sleep after the endless night. All the adrenaline poured out of him in those tense moments and after a few hours, he was left with nothing but pure exhaustion.

“You’re not? That’s a shame,” Hannes squinted as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Yeah, it is,” Eren agreed, giving a tight-lipped smile. There wasn’t much to say after that, and he was happy when his parents let him have a mostly quiet car ride home. They promised there would be more paperwork, questions, and hospital visits to check on his wounds… but Eren simply didn’t care at that moment. He leaned against the side of the car and closed his eyes, eventually dozing off while they made their way home.

 

“He’s a heavy fifteen-year-old. I can’t believe I can still pick him up like this,” Grisha spoke while hefting Eren into his arms and out of the car. Eren hadn’t had his father pick him up in ages, too old for that sort of thing. He still lightly dozed against his dad’s shoulder, too lazy and sleepy to walk for himself.

“Levi called me again, should we wake Eren up to let him know?” Carla whispered.

“No, we’ll let him sleep. It seems like they’re still going through a bit of a rough patch.”

“Long distance relationships aren’t easy,” Carla sighed. “I just hope they make it through. Eren can be hardheaded and tough to communicate with. He responds to physical communication, not verbal. And with Levi far away… he can’t exactly physically communicate.”

“They’ll get through it,” Grisha said with pure faith.

Carla’s phone started ringing again, the same little sing-song chime as always. She must have answered it as she greeted, “Hi, Levi.”

Eren had to concentrate not to tense in his father’s arms. Levi was on the phone with his mom.

“He’s okay. He’s sleeping now and we’re taking him inside… I’ll let you know in the morning, I think I’ll keep him from going to school for a while until everything calms down… We’ll take good care of him, I promise. We’ll see you soon, okay? Sleep well… What’s that? Okay… I’ll tell him.” Eren listened in to the one-sided conversation and wondered what Levi had said on the other line.

His father was already setting him in his bed, pulling some blankets up over his chilled body and scenting the room with a secure Alpha scent. His mom’s scent served to comfort alongside his dad’s and Eren’s body finally started to relax. It wasn’t anything like the peace he felt in Levi’s bedroom, but it was close.

Both of his parents whispered little goodnight wishes to him. Before they left, his mother leaned in to add, “Levi wishes you sweet dreams as well. And he wants me to thank you, for everything you did for his family.”

They shut his bedroom door and Eren peeked into the blackness of his room. His heart was thumping at Levi’s message. Even from his mother’s lips, Eren could still hear it in Levi’s voice.

If he had more energy, he would have sat in bed and attempted to swallow the fact that they were no longer together. If he had more energy, he would have resisted any thought of Levi and forced himself to remember that Levi didn’t want to deal with him anymore.

But he was tired and alone. He leaned over the side of his bed to pull out a box of hidden gems from under his bed. In it were a plethora of stolen clothes and items from Levi’s bedroom. A lot of them were ones Levi had purposefully scented just for Eren and they still retained that powerful scent. Like a security blanket, Eren pulled an old sweatshirt out and hugged onto it. He didn’t bother putting it on, he just held it like a stuffed toy and nuzzled his nose into the fabric.

After steeling himself for so long, he finally found the silence to break down and cry. Seeing Rod like that had been terrifying, but he couldn’t see past Kuchel and the way she needed Eren to _act_. He saw a woman, who he’d refer to as his second mother, in peril at the hands of a deranged Alpha. Despite the possibility of getting hurt, he ran forward anyway. Despite the fear that clutched around his heart, he fought.

The thought suddenly dawned on him so suddenly. Why couldn’t he do that with Levi? Why did he have to run away when things got a little scary? Why couldn’t he stand before Levi and yell, “This isn’t what I want! I want to stay with you!”

Perhaps he’d have to start fighting in a new way: fighting to keep the person he loved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everybody! Thank you all for reading <3 We have reached a climax in this story and I put a lot of thought into how I wanted it to go so thank you all for your patience! I truly appreciate all your kudos, comments, ect. and for your kind messages on Tumblr too! 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	45. Chapter 45

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi: 19  
> Eren: 15

He drove through the night without stopping or thinking twice. Levi’s heart was racing, nearly beating itself up his throat and out his mouth to take the steering wheel and _go._ After his mother had called him and recited the incident, he didn’t hesitate for a moment. Hell, he didn’t even warn Erwin that he was leaving. Instead, he stormed out of his bedroom, thundered down the stairs, and took off as quick as lightning.

His first thought as he drove down the dark highway was guilt. Why hadn’t he been there? Why wasn’t he able to prevent the entire situation by just staying put? Why did he choose to end up so _fucking_ far away?

Then, he was overcome with worry. Were they okay? Would Rod break out of his bonds and race right back to his mother? Right back to Historia? What about Eren?

And finally, he buckled down and just _drove_ with the single goal of getting there as quickly as possible without getting pulled over for speeding. A visit with a cop would only prolong his arrival, which simply wasn’t an option.

There was no music, no distractions, only bubbling concern and a car-full of festering Alpha pheromones. They portrayed every emotional wave that hit him, even the most shameful one of all: excitement to see them again.

He didn’t realize the tears streaming down his face until one of them dropped onto his bare knee. The weather was getting colder as autumn took over and he probably should have put on proper pants, but he’d simply run out still in his sleeping shorts without thinking. At least he’d fallen asleep with a shirt on, or he probably would have forgotten to throw one of those on too. Luckily, it was a loose long-sleeved shirt, so he could use the sleeve to wipe away the dampness from his cheeks.

As he got closer, his heart didn’t cease. Nothing about Levi slowed down until he was parked in the driveway, through the front door, and embracing his mother tightly. He didn’t ask why she was still awake at such an hour, nor did he flinch when Hannes held them both.

“Historia?” he asked softly, looking toward her bedroom. The door was open, and the room was dark, but there was just enough light from the living room to see the room was empty.

“She’s in our bed,” Hannes shortly explained. It made sense for her to want to be close to them and Levi was happy she felt safe between the two. Sure, she wasn’t a kid anymore, but she didn’t need an excuse to look to Kuchel and Hannes for safety after such an event. “Can’t sleep though. I’m sure she’ll come out to say hello once she gets a bit of courage.”

Levi gave Hannes a nod, not just in understanding but a silent motion of gratitude. One of the best things about Hannes was that he didn’t need words and got Levi’s message right away.

When his mom started crying, he clung onto her a little tighter. He knew he needed to say something to her, but what could he possibly say? All he could do was try to hold on a sob at the mere potential of almost losing her, which didn’t work. He buried his nose into her shoulder and let loose the tears he’d been holding in.

“Oh, honey…” she whispered as they held each other. “It’s okay,” she repeated a few times while she petted at his hair in a soothing manner. “I had a guardian angel looking after me, so we’re all okay.”

Eventually, he was rushed off to bed, so he could let his family sleep. As much as he didn’t want to part from so soon, his mother insisted they all get some rest. She teased him in stating that the sooner he’d sleep, the sooner he’d wake up and see Eren again.

“It’s a shame about you two,” Hannes offered a sympathetic smile.

“What do you mean?” Levi squinted. Sure, Eren was struggling a bit with the distance and he had expected that. It sucked, but they’d overcome it.

“Oh, he told me that you two weren’t courting anymore.”

“He did?” He blinked a few times at Hannes, digesting the information.

“Seemed pretty convinced of it, he did. Might want to have a chat with him tomorrow,” Hannes smiled a little, looking a bit melancholy at the fact. Did Eren really want to break things off like that? Was ignoring him the way of doing it?

His panic and raging emotions took a toll on him and his mind. He knew it’d be better to rest and approach the situation after getting some proper sleep. As soon as he fell into his childhood bed, he noticed something off.

Why did his sheets smell so strongly of Eren?

Levi shoved his nose into the pillow and took in a deep breath, melting in the sweetness of strawberries. It lulled his mind into a comfort he didn’t think he’d find that night, one that eased every little worry that ate at his heart.

The question stood, though, as to why the scent was so potent as if Eren had recently been swaddled in his sheets. Just the image of Eren wrapped up safely in Levi’s bed had his entire body vibrating with contentment. It quelled the growing worry over their relationship, at least enough to get some sleep.

 

When Levi woke up, Historia was sleeping at the foot of his bed, wrapped up in a quilt. A sweet cloud of vanilla surrounded her and wafted up into Levi’s face when he sat up to look at her. He figured she had abandoned Kuchel and Hannes’s bedroom somewhere in the early morning and decided to sleep in his bed instead. Levi didn’t mind, he just got out of bed and made his way toward the bathroom, draping another blanket over her to cover up her bare feet.

A shower was much needed, though he kept it quick. His entire routine was done efficiently, not wanting to waste any time. Once he was dressed and out of the bathroom, he found his mother and Hannes in the kitchen. Hannes was on the phone while his mother was sipping at some tea. She extended a hand, inviting him to sit next to her. Levi couldn’t take his eyes off of the red marks around her neck.

“Stop staring,” she gave him a playful little hit on the arm. It was obvious she was trying to lighten the mood. Hannes’ protective scent was nearly over-powering and Levi didn’t even try to combat it with his own. He knew his mom needed it, even if she was putting on a brave face.

He averted his eyes from her neck and found himself staring out the kitchen window toward Eren’s house.

“You should go visit him. Grisha is staying home from the hospital to watch over him today, making sure he’s feeling okay. Hannes, Historia, and I need to go discuss some things with the police today, perhaps you should head over there while we’re out,” she suggested with a little nudge to his ribs.

“You don’t want me to go with?”

“If that’s what you want to do, you’re free to join. However, Hannes will be with us and it’ll make for a long day of sitting and talking. It sounds like you have some mending to do with Eren, which may be more productive than sitting with us. I’ll let you know the second we get back here.”

“Are you sure?”

“More than sure,” she urged him on. “Go on, now. Even if he’s unaware, I’m sure he’s just dying to see you.”

Levi nodded to her, a bit unhappy to leave her side. “Okay. Just go check on Historia. She’s in my room. Don’t think she’ll want to wake up alone.” With that, he shucked on his shoes and started on the path he’d taken a million times before.

* * *

Kuchel watched as her son left toward the Jaeger’s home. “I hate it when he looks at me like that,” she whispered lowly.

“Like what?” Hannes asked, ending his phone call in favor of speaking with her instead. She loved that about him, putting the important things first even if it wasn’t convenient.

“He had that same look when he was little too. The one that shows how he’ll protect me no matter what.”

“And you don’t like it?”

“I wish he didn’t _have_ to make that look.” She sulked, leaning her head on Hannes’ shoulder. “I wish he’d see me as a pillar of strength, not someone who constantly needs help. I wish he’d see me as someone who can help him too.”

“I think he does,” Hannes put an arm over her shoulders. “You help him in a way that he needs most.”

“How’s that?”

“You’re his mother. Nothing can replace that.”

She hummed, smiled, and tilted her chin up to kiss him on the cheek. “Thank you.”

* * *

His dad worked hard at the hospital and Eren understood that, so he let his dad sleep in that morning. Eren crept around the kitchen, careful to make as little noise as possible so he wouldn’t stir his sleeping father. As he poured himself some cereal as quietly as he could, he realized he couldn’t remember the last day his father had an honest day off. He made a silent vow to himself to be as silent as he could.

_Knock, knock, knock!_

The three, sharp knocks cut through the empty air and the sheer volume made Eren jump. He dropped his spoon, sending it clattering onto the kitchen floor. With all the surprise, he yelped and quickly slapped a hand over his mouth to silence all the sound.

He peeked down the hallway to see that his father was still snoring. “Wow, heavy sleeper,” he muttered, realizing all his efforts to remain quiet were for not.

Next, came his newest challenge: opening the door. Those loud, sharp knocks sounded urgent, pleading. Eren’s first thought was pure fear: what it if was Rod? He couldn’t say he slept without a series of nightmares that involved Rod with a baseball bat.

He peered through the front window, hoping to get the right angle to see who was at the door with no luck. So, with a stupid dash of courage, he slowly turned the knob and opened the door a few centimeters. “Hello?” he peeked out through the tiny crack.

A piercing grey stare met his, one that warmed instantly when they made eye contact. Eren threw open the door, unable to hold himself back. “ _Levi_ ,” Eren gasped, tossing himself at the Alpha with reckless abandon. When he expected hesitation, two arms wrapped around him tightly.  The words started flowing out senselessly. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t want to… I didn’t want to lose you and then you _left_. And then I thought I _bit_ you for real- when you didn’t want that yet!” With his abundance of emotions came tears, more of them streaming down his face when he’d originally thought he’d run dry. “You’re just so far _away_ and it _hurts_! It hurts so badly, it’s like we already have a mating mark, right on my heart.”

“I feel it too,” Levi confessed, refusing to tear himself away from Eren even though it was getting hard for the both of them to breathe. “All the time.”

“I didn’t mean it,” Eren sniffled. “I didn’t mean it when I said we weren’t courting. I mean, I did, but I don’t want it to be that way.”

“I don’t either,” Levi pet at Eren’s hair. “So, let’s make this easy, okay? Let’s talk about this stuff before getting upset. Let’s be open and honest.”

“Yes,” Eren nodded into Levi’s shoulder. “I promise.”

Levi made the discussion a lot easier than Eren imagined it to be. That’s how it should have been though, that was what Eren needed: plain and simple. Eren took a few steps back to let Levi in and they made their way toward the living room sofa. Once they properly sat, it seemed to be the cue for another discussion.

“Eren… My mom… and Historia…” Levi started, seemingly unsure of how to guide the conversation. It wasn’t every day Eren got to witness Levi unsure of something.

“It’s okay,” Eren found himself saying. “It seems more like a nightmare than reality.”

“It’s not just okay, Eren,” Levi took his hand and held it tightly. “It was an _amazing_ thing you did. There is no possible way for me to thank you enough. You were brave and so strong. You really are an angel, you know that?” Levi’s eyes started to get watery with tears. Not only did he rarely see Levi uncertain, but he almost never saw Levi cry.

It only spurred on his own tears yet again and he fell into his boyfriend for another tight hug. “I wasn’t brave or strong,” he admitted. “I was… really scared.”

Levi gently rubbed his thumb over the bruises on Eren’s face. “But you didn’t hide, and you didn’t run. You fought. Even if you were afraid, you were brave enough to fight. You saved her life, Eren. You saved Historia too.”

Eren nodded a little, unsure of how to respond to such a statement. It still felt like a dream to him, like it never actually happened in the first place. Still, it meant a lot to Levi and his family, so he couldn’t just forget that it ever happened like he secretly wanted to. Acknowledging that it actually happened meant having to live with the fact that he nearly saw Kuchel Ackerman murdered right in front of him. His parents wanted him to talk to a professional therapist about it, but he refused and would probably refuse again and again until he couldn’t deny it any longer.

“Hey,” Levi snapped Eren out of his own mind with the word. When Eren’s eyes flashed back to life, he was rewarded with a chaste kiss on the lips. It was soft and dainty, barely a brush of lips, but it made Eren’s scent go haywire with joy and comfort.

Levi was with him, which meant everything would be fine. He fully believed the fact and clutched onto the Alpha even harder, nuzzling his nose into Levi’s clothes for a deep breath of citrus comfort.

“So… did you really sneak into my room that night?” Levi asked softly, with the tiniest bit of teasing in his voice.

“I missed you,” Eren muttered, hiding his blushing face. “And when I finally tried calling you, you didn’t answer.”

“So, you snuck into my bedroom?”

“I missed you,” Eren repeated his sole defense with a stubborn tone.

“Should I scent mark your entire bedroom before I have go to back to school, so you’ll miss me a little less?”

“I’ll still miss you… but it might help a little,” Eren wasn’t just going to refuse an offer like that.

Levi got up from the couch and gave Eren’s hand a little tug. “Let’s start now, then.”

They meandered into Eren’s messy bedroom in a much better mood than they’d been in the last time they were there. It helped soothe those harsh memories and replace them with new, happier ones. Levi flopped onto Eren’s bed and yawned while Eren started compiling a nest of clothes around the Alpha, all while they talked about Levi’s new school.

“Living with Erwin isn’t too bad. He sucks at cleaning, though. It helps that we’re both in pre-law majors, so we can share textbooks and stuff. He’s a year ahead, which helps too. The best thing about that school is that the law school is integrated into the university, so I don’t have to go to different schools after getting my pre-law degree done.”

“You’ll be done with pre-law in four years, right?” Eren confirmed.

“Yep. So… you’ll be out of high school then. What are _you_ going to do?”

Eren shrugged, packing the clothes in a little tighter under Levi. “I’ll go to the university that you go to. I think that’s where Mikasa and Armin plan on going. Even Jean is going there.”

“What do you want to study?”

“I don’t know. Whatever is least boring.”

Levi chuckled a little and let Eren tuck in the clothes and blankets all around him before getting into the little nest himself, curling up right next to Levi. “Not a clue?”

“Nope,” Eren sighed. “I’ll worry about it later. Right now, I’m going to think about being happy.”

“And are you happy?”

Eren kissed Levi’s jawline and yawned as well, still exhausted from his sleepless night. “Very.”

In Levi’s arms, he could forget about Rod and the baseball bat. He could forget about Kuchel’s gasps for air. He could forget about Historia’s panicked screams. The potent, heavy scent of Levi filled his nose and lungs and allowed him to feel like he could finally breathe again. It was as if the moment his boyfriend left, he held his breath and once he returned, Eren could suck in a fresh breath of air.

The distance was hell, but it was necessary. Eren understood that and could deal with it, because it wasn’t forever. He and Levi, however, _were_ forever. While many could claim it was premature to tell, Eren knew it in his heart that they were made for one another in a fateful sort of way.

While Levi would eventually have to leave again, Eren let himself drift dreamily in the moment. Life wasn’t always perfect or easy, and Eren knew that neither Levi or himself were perfect either. It wasn’t the end of their hardships or the solution to all of their problems. Still, when they were together, life felt a little more perfect with every minute.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so, so much for reading! I apologize for my inability to reply to comments like I used to, but I swear I read every single one and smile at them all - you are all so truly kind for supporting me throughout this story and my only hope is to brighten your day with each update <3 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	46. Chapter 46

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eren: 16  
> Levi: 19

“Okay, now _turn_ ,” Levi leaned into Eren, urging him to turn the steering wheel. “Eren, there is _one_ fucking pole in this parking lot and if you hit it, I swear I will never let you drive ever again.”

“Okay, okay,” Eren laughed, nudging Levi right back. He turned around the pole with ease and pressed on the gas a little too hard, rushing them forward with a jolt.

After turning sixteen, Eren was able to get his driver’s license- barely. Apparently, he was one point away from flunking the test, which meant that Levi was going to give him extra lessons for fear Eren hurt himself on the road.

“You’re going to give me whiplash, lead foot,” Levi placed one hand on the ceiling of his car and the other gripped onto his seatbelt. “Gentle, right? Take it easy.”

“Right, right,” Eren grumbled. He’d probably been told that same thing a thousand times before.

“You’ll be an expert before I go back, I’ll make sure of it,” Levi ruffled Eren’s hair and gave him some directions to drive around town. “And then, once you’re good enough, you can drive down to come and see me.”

The fact seemed to light a fire in Eren’s eyes and he concentrated on his driving skills rather than Levi’s presence beside him.

It had been almost a year since Levi first left for school, and he neared the completion of his first year of school. The first few months flew by faster than ever between the meetings with police, the court hearing, and assuring his family’s wellbeing. Rod inevitably ended up in jail with all the evidence against him with a sentence and charges great enough to keep him cooped up for a quite a while. Even though Rod was locked up, it still didn’t keep him from playing a part in their lives. That was the funny thing about abuse, it never ended even after it ended.

Kuchel and Historia both attended therapy together and seemed to stick closely to one another and Hannes as well. When Levi visited on the weekends, he’d sometimes wake to Historia climbing into his bed after a nightmare or find his mother anxiously glancing at the front door or the windows. They threw away the baseball bat that Rod had used against Eren as a weapon and bought all new locks for the doors, fancy ones with keypads. To further erase the memories of Rod Reiss, Kuchel even started to redecorate their entire house to make it seem brand new.

Eren, however, seemed to only grow fiercer. He got into more fights at school and met with a counsellor weekly. Levi noticed scents of aggression tainting Eren’s bedroom when he visited, and the Omega seemed more edgy after being left alone for too long. Whenever Levi tried to ask if Eren was okay or how he was doing, Eren seemed to strive even harder to prove that he wasn’t fragile, that he was strong. It definitely wasn’t Levi’s intention to do so, but Eren hated being coddled.

There were good things, though, that bloomed from their struggles. Levi and Eren were able to video chat during the weekday nights and Levi was happy to find that Eren was spending more time with his friends and enjoying his time in high school. Eren got involved with plenty of school activities and wasn’t doing too horribly with his grades. He and Historia seemed to become closer than ever. They took a lot of the same classes and joined the same clubs.

“I just don’t see why they won’t let me join the basketball team,” Eren complained while driving home. “ _You_ were on the team, and I’m _way_ better than you.” After a second, he softly muttered, “And I’m _taller_ than you too.”

Levi rolled his eyes. “It’s probably because you start fights with anyone who looks at you wrong.”

“No, it’s because I’m an _Omega_ ,” Eren grumbled, using the most annoyed tone with the word ‘Omega’. “They said it would distract the other players.”

“You _are_ pretty distracting,” Levi spoke in that low, flirty voice that always made Eren blush. As far as their relationship went, things remained the same. They’d kiss, cuddle, and make fun of each other until hell’s end but nothing further than that. Usually, Eren would get embarrassed or nervous and burst out laughing uncontrollably until the moment had been killed off.

“W-well I’m only _supposed_ to distract _you_ , not everyone else,” Eren whined, turning into their neighborhood.

“That’s right,” Levi smirked a little before letting it fall. “Unfortunately, that’s not how it works.”

Eren grumbled something unintelligible, taking familiar streets back to Levi’s house. “I did better at the try-out than Annie, Reiner, and Bertolt _combined_ and they still wouldn’t let me on.”

“Who are they again?”

“Alphas at school. They’re on, like, _all_ the teams,” Eren explained, parking Levi’s car in his driveway. “They’re good, I guess. But, I’m the best.”

“Cocky, aren’t you?” Levi raised an eyebrow.

“Just telling the truth,” Eren smiled, getting out of the car. He even went as far as to round the vehicle to open Levi’s door for him like some kind of gentleman. When Levi got out, he was once again reminded of the growth spurt Eren had gone through. His Omega was taller than him and it ticked him off in a way he’d never admit to. “So, did I pass your driving test?” Eren asked, hopping a little with excitement.

“Barely,” Levi sighed. “I think you’re just naturally a terrible driver and there is no helping it.”

“Am I allowed to drive to the city on weekends now to visit you?”

It pulled a smile out of Levi and he ruffled Eren’s hair, “Yes, you have my permission now. Now you’ll just have to beg your mom to let you borrow her car.”

“That’s not a problem. I’ve got the best puppy-dog eyes,” Eren snickered.

“You know yourself too well,” Levi snickered right back. “What are your plans for tonight?”

“Well, uh,” Eren averted his eyes toward the ground. Levi knew what was happening- a new and awkward situation they’d stumbled upon a few times. Eren was a teenager who had friends other than Levi and needed to spend time with them too, yet Eren seemed to always feel guilty abandoning Levi and missing out on their time together. “Jean’s having this party-thing, and everyone is going.”

“What are his parents out of town or something?” Levi had to laugh.

“Well, yeah,” Eren admit, scratching at the back of his neck.

“I’ll drive you there when you’re ready and pick you up when it’s time to go,” Levi offered. He’d never invite himself to one of Eren’s social gatherings and wasn’t much for parties anyway. He preferred the more laidback gatherings with less people.

“You will?” Eren brightened up. “I mean, it’s Saturday night. You could come along, if you’d wanted.”

“Nah, I should spend some time with my family. My mom always jokes about me only coming back here to see you and not her.”

It was a good compromise, so when eight o’clock rolled around, Levi was driving Eren to his friend Jean’s house. “Mikasa and Armin will be there too?” he wanted to confirm. Eren’s two friends were responsible enough to keep Eren out of trouble and Levi trusted them as well as Eren to not go completely out of control.

“Yep,” Eren responded, tapping away at his phone.

“Okay, just let me know when you’re ready and I’ll come get you. If it gets too late, I’m just going to come find you. Where do your parents think you are?”

Eren blushed guiltily, caught in the act for lying to his parents. “Mikasa’s.”

Levi smirked, “Yeah, that’s good enough. If they ask, I’ll tell them that’s where I took you.”

“Thank you.” Eren leaned over the center console to kiss Levi on the cheek, his scent exuding his inner joy and excitement.

As a high schooler, Levi had his fair share of lying and fun, so he’d allow Eren the same freedom with the condition that he knew Eren was being safe. He’d rather know where Eren was and what he was doing rather than sitting in the dark. When he parked in Kirstein’s driveway, he noticed a bunch of different cars parked up and down the street and the loud music coming from inside. It really was a high school party, like the ones from the movies. Levi didn’t realize just how huge the party was and debated turning right back around, but Eren was far too excited to let him down like that. He trusted the Omega, which meant that he’d trust Eren to handle himself at the party.

Eren went to grab for the handle to open the door, but Levi caught him by the jaw and turned him back so their faces were mere centimeters apart. “Be safe, okay?” he whispered, giving Eren a sincere, deep kiss. Eren kissed right back, melting into Levi’s touch as he always did.

“I promise I will,” he whispered right back when they pulled away. With that, he hopped out of Levi’s car and sped toward the front door of Jean’s house.

“Never pegged Kirstein as the rich-kid,” Levi mumbled to himself, leaving the ritzy neighborhood and preparing for an anxious night of awaiting Eren’s message.

* * *

Eren weaved his way through the crowds until he reached Mikasa and Armin who were both hanging around the living room on a loveseat. He glanced around, never realizing that Jean came from a wealthy family and lived like a prince in the huge house. It took him forever to get through the whole thing searching for his friends.

“Eren!” Armin threw his arms up in excitement to see his friend. “Come, sit. We’re trying to figure out how Jean could get so many people to come here for a party. There are even tons of upperclassmen here.”

“Think he begged? Told them Hitch would be here?” Eren theorized, sitting on the arm of the seat.

“Hitch _is_ here,” Mikasa let him know, pointing. “Looking as tasteful as ever.” Eren craned his neck across the room following Mikasa’s gesture until he saw Hitch dressed in the skimpiest black dress imaginable. “I mean, she rocks the hell out of it so who could blame her?” Mikasa shrugged.

“Eh, true. I’d wear something like that if I knew it’d turn Levi on,” Eren admitted.

“Still no luck on that front?” Armin asked, unfortunately tuned into Eren’s sexual history after listening to Eren’s relentless complaints.

“None. I’ve been dropping hints for weeks. Now that I can drive, though, I can go over to his apartment and we’ll have more… _alone time_ there.”

Jean approached them with three bottles of beer balanced in one hand and his own in the other. He passed them to the trio and took a drink for himself. “Great party, right?” he smirked, knowing that for once he pulled off something amazing.

“Great party,” Armin confirmed with a smile. “You really got everyone together.”

“Help yourself to the beer in the kitchen and don’t hold back. A few people brought some tequila and vodka for shots,” he winked, trailing off to probably go mingle some more. After all, he had much more popular guests at his party than Mikasa, Armin, and Eren to chat with.

Eren downed his beer in an attempt to forget about his anxieties, both with his restless sexual needs as well as being in a room filled with so many powerful scents. Alcohol seemed to only make everyone smell stronger and it hurt Eren’s nose. The more he drank, though, the more he was able to ignore it. There was only one scent he wanted to fill his lungs with anyway, and it wasn’t anywhere nearby.

“Eren Jaeger! The one that got away!” Hitch greeted him with a drunken smile and cheerful eyes. Sometime during the party, she had noticed him and carried over four shot glasses in one hand, spilling alcohol over the hardwood but keeping most of it contained. “You three need some tequila to loosen up,” she decided, handing over three of the glasses. “I’m not leaving until you all do one with me.”

Mikasa shrugged and stood from her seat to match Hitch’s height. Armin and Eren followed suit, all clashing the little glasses together in cheers before throwing them back. Mikasa showed no expression at all to the devil’s liquid while Eren and Armin coughed in shock. Hitch just let out an obnoxious laugh and slapped at her thigh, “I love watching first-timers do tequila shots. So fucking innocent, I _love_ it.” She swung an arm over Eren and purred, “I just love the innocent type, y’know?”

“Okay, okay, get _off_ ,” Eren huffed, shrugging out of her hold.

“Where’s your big, bad Alpha tonight?” she asked. “I mean, it’s not just a high school party. I brought all my college friends here.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Eren sighed. He learned to just avoid answering those types of questions instead of telling the truth, figuring that he’d keep the threat of Levi alive instead of confirming that he wasn’t around. It did a good job at keeping anyone with ill-intentions away. Levi’s intensive scent-marking also did the trick.

“You think he’d want to accompany you tonight,” Hitch sang lowly, tauntingly.

“Don’t worry about it, he said,” Mikasa repeated, keeping her own voice low and threatening.

“Fine, fine,” Hitch huffed and rolled her eyes in annoyance. “Just having a little fun, is all. Levi better watch out, though, because I _refuse_ to take my eyes off of you until you’re marked.” She leaned in to kiss Eren on the cheek before spinning on her heel to go pester someone else.

“You didn’t have to defend me like that,” Eren muttered to Mikasa while wiping Hitch’s cherry lipstick off his cheek. The color matched her fruity scent, though Eren found it to be lackluster compared to Levi’s.

“She wasn’t going to leave you alone if I didn’t,” Mikasa shot back. After Levi left, she took to defending Eren at every turn. It was as if she didn’t think Eren could handle himself, or so he thought. Armin repeated again and again that she was just looking out for him in Levi’s place, but Eren couldn’t stand the coddling. The only person he could somewhat stand doting over him was Levi, who knew not to do it too often.

The tequila made Eren’s head light and a little dizzy, but it felt nice and helped drown out the pheromones in the room. He made his way to the kitchen to grab himself another drink with Mikasa and Armin at his tail.

“Are you sure about that?” Mikasa asked when Eren dove into another bottle out of the ice bucket kept in the center of the kitchen. The tile floor was a huge puddle under the container and Eren could feel the water start to seep in through his shoes. He wondered how the hell Jean planned to clean up his big, fancy house before his parents got home the next afternoon. “More than sure,” Eren decided, if only to numb the feeling of wet socks he was enduring.

The buzz loosened him up and knocked his frustrations away in favor of fun. It seemed to help Mikasa turn her scowl into a less-frightening scowl and Armin went from his usual self to a fucking party animal.

“Let’s _dance_ ,” he demanded rather than asked, pulling both his friends to the dining room where all the furniture was cleared away to create a dance floor of sorts. Eren wasn’t aware Armin could move his body so fluidly to the heavy bass.

“I didn’t know you could dance!” Eren shouted over the music, grinning at his friend.

“I didn’t know you could either!” Armin returned, pointing out Eren’s own rhythmic movements.

They both turned to Mikasa to see her leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. When they gave her their pleading eyes, silently asking her to join, she shook her head and mumbled, “I don’t dance.”

“Not even a little?” a new voice asked with a playful tone. Eren and Armin were surprised to see Reiner approach Mikasa with Bertolt and Annie behind him.

“Not even a little,” she returned with the same flat tone, not stirred by the pretty trio’s entrance.

“Neither do I, so lay off her,” Annie gave Reiner a bump with her shoulder before settling along the wall next to Mikasa.

“Your loss,” Reiner shrugged, joining Eren and Armin instead. “At least you guys know how to move.”

The overwhelming smell of an _Alpha_ nearly knocked Eren off his feet. He assumed Reiner had to have been a powerful one, someone like Levi who leaned dramatically on the Alpha spectrum of sexualities. For someone as Omegan as Eren, it was overwhelming.

Bertolt took Armin spinning across the room in a drunken tango, both of them laughing all the way. Mikasa ended up in some kind of conversation with Annie. And Eren found himself trapped under Reiner’s gaze.

“Eren Jaeger, right? You tried out for the basketball team. Damn, you’ve got a good shot. I’m surprised they wouldn’t let you on.”

Eren blinked up at the Alpha, not expecting those words to leave his mouth. Did Reiner actually compliment his skill and not shrug him off as _just an Omega_? “I know, right?” he exclaimed, probably talking too loud for his own good.

“I think I could talk to the coaches into letting you on, you know. It’s a co-ed team anyway, and that should hold up for men and women, as well as Alphas, Betas, and Omegas.”

Eren’s eyes were sparkling at Reiner’s noble words. “Yes!” he agreed wholeheartedly. “You think you could do that?”

“Totally. I’ll let you know what they say on Monday. In the meantime, we should be having fun, right?”

“Right!” Eren nodded with a renewed grin. The pheromones didn’t bother him any longer, realizing that Reiner was actually a good guy. He let the music take him away, laughing and dancing along with their new friends with ease.

It didn’t occur to him that his phone was vibrating in his pocket as his whole body felt as though it were vibrating. In the back of his mind, he wondered if that meant Levi was coming to pick him up. The forefront of his mind, however, was too clouded with scent and alcohol to wonder any further.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your support, comments, kudos, ect with this story! <3 Seriously, it all means so much and has kept this story alive much longer than I had ever anticipated! 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	47. Chapter 47

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eren: 16  
> Levi: 19

Jean’s fancy dining-room-turned-dance-floor spun around as Eren was twirled around by Reiner as the both of them laughed their asses off at something stupid one of them had said. Eren didn’t even know what it was anymore but could feel the aching in his lungs and stomach from laughing so hard. Before meeting them, he always thought of Reiner, Bertolt, and Annie as narcissistic Alpha-assholes. After, he found out how nice and fun they were to be around.

The huge mirrors placed around the dining room showed off just how flushed and sweaty Eren had become and he slowed down just enough to catch his breath and glance around the room. Jean’s party was still booming with energy and excitement, if not more. The air seemed to vibrate with pheromones that Eren couldn’t sense anymore. His inebriated state left him immune to scent and more focused on moving his feet.

He slowed to a stop and froze when he noticed someone in the crowd.

“Hey, why’d you stop dancing? You’re killing it, Jaeger,” Reiner laughed, giving him a little pat on the hip as if to push him into swaying them again. “Get too hot or somethin’? Need another drink?”

Eren’s mind completely shut Reiner out as he focused on the most gorgeous man he’d ever seen. Tight black jeans hugged slender legs and were worn low enough to show off the black waistband of his _Calvin Klein_ boxer-briefs, the same jeans that Eren’s fingers were itching to tear off- had _dreamt_ about tearing off. A plain white shirt hugged onto muscles that Eren wanted to bite. Over it all was a dark green jacket, Eren’s favorite color. It was as if the man were made especially for him, encasing every little detail that Eren loved including a dangerous scowl.

And then, Eren could actually _smell._ The scent cut through the cloudy pheromones that vaguely drifted around the room like a butcher knife. It was sharp, sour, and surrounding him as if to block everything else out so he was forced to focus solely on that one scent. Most of all, the scent was angry and tinged with hot aggression and a need to dominate. The acidity stung at his tongue and nostrils, sending little sour explosions across his senses.

“Come,” he spoke lowly and evenly. The command was simple and impossible to ignore. Eren’s body acted on its own, abiding to the word-binding with ease. His body felt light and buzzed with alcohol and energy, but also a deepening lust. He _wanted_ to obey, to please the Alpha. For anyone else, he’d _never_ show such a submissive nature, but…

It was Levi.

The second Eren got close enough, Levi’s hands were on his wrists to pull him in until their chests bumped together. Eren whined under the intense gaze, uncomfortable with the thought that he’d done something wrong but unsure of what exactly it was. It didn’t matter anyway, because Levi was _there_ with his hands stroking up his sides to settle on his cheeks.

“Levi,” Eren whispered, though it came out as a moan instead. He didn’t have the ability to feel embarrassed about it. All he wanted was Levi, everything else melted away.

* * *

He didn’t feel good about commanding Eren, but he couldn’t help it. The entire situation set Levi’s mind ablaze with flashing anger. Eren was coated in the scent of other Alphas, specifically one very potent strain fuming from the blond on the dance floor. His intended mate was sweating out pheromones that were made to entice, most likely altered with alcohol. Levi’s scent was completely gone from Eren, stripped from his flesh completely.

So, first was first, Levi pressed Eren up against him and started to rub his wrists against Eren’s neck to get a quick scent over him and to help eliminate the stench of everyone else. The instinctual need for Eren to smell like himself ruled over all else, drowning out the background noise and voices.

Eren’s voice, however, reigned supreme. “Levi…” he breathed out again, as if realizing that Levi was indeed there and not a drunken illusion.

“I’m here,” Levi confirmed, finally able to breathe normally after his intended wasn’t coated in a rival’s scent. “You didn’t reply to my texts or calls, so I came. It’s late.”

Eren blinked a few times before pulling out his phone from his pocket to glance at both the time and plethora of messages. “Oh,” he dragged out the ‘o’ while shoving the phone right back into his pocket. “Four o’clock is _early_ not _late_ ,” he giggled, leaning against Levi for support.

Levi _knew_ how damned _early_ it was as he counted every minute as he waited for Eren to contact him. He waited until the very last second before showing up himself when worry overcame him. The last thing he wanted to do was smother Eren or become too overbearing, but there came a point when he simply couldn’t control his own damned legs anymore and his inner Alpha took the wheel.

“Eren, this your fella?” a blond Alpha approached them but smartly kept his distance, stopping a few meters away from the two of them but keeping a confident tone in his voice as if to prove Levi’s presence wasn’t intimidating in the least.

“It’s _Levi_!” Eren practically cheered, wrapping his arms around Levi’s neck and pulling himself upward until the Alpha was forced to grab onto Eren’s thighs for support. With Eren quite literally held up in his arms, Levi shot a glance back to the blond who was still looking at them expectantly. “ _My Alpha,”_ Eren growled with a giggle into Levi’s neck, stuffing his nose into Levi’s scent glands shamelessly. “ _My mate_.”

“Your mate, hm?” the blond spoke with a challenge in his voice, or at least Levi heard one.

While it wasn’t official, Levi wasn’t honorable enough to correct the term. “Yeah, _his_ mate,” he smirked Reiner’s way and tilted his head to the side for Eren to better nuzzle in which he did while sucking at the skin there. _Oh._ Levi dared to look toward Eren who made the tiniest moan while sucking out a dark bruise. Eren hadn’t done anything like that before, something so blatantly sexual. He’d tease a little, but nothing so forward.

“You better take him home before he starts humping you,” Armin snaked his way forward to laugh. It was odd to see the little blond just as inebriated as Eren. Levi knew Armin as the responsible one, the smart one. It appeared at that point that Armin was the enabler instead.

Luckily, though, Mikasa pushed herself off the wall and joined them. As always, she had her composure in check. “He’s been dancing his ass off with Armin, Bertolt, and Reiner all night. Lost track of time.”

“And you didn’t think to tell me?” Levi stared flatly at her with Eren still making obscene slurping noises at his neck.

She just shrugged, “He was having fun.”

Mikasa was no push-over, most likely one of the strongest women Levi knew, but when it came to Eren she simply couldn’t resist his smile. Not that Levi could blame her, because he couldn’t either.

“Mikasa,” Eren whined, untangling himself from Levi to get back onto his own two feet. Levi regrettably let him go so he could latch onto her for a hug. “Why won’t you dance with me?”

“I don’t dance,” she pat at his head and spun him around to push him toward Levi again.

“Levi, why won’t you dance with me?” Eren redirected his question as he hugged onto the Alpha instead.

“I don’t dance,” he agreed with Mikasa. He’d skipped all his school dances due to his two left feet and refused to make a fool of himself.

“Reiner and Bertolt and Armin do,” he argued with a little pout. He unknowingly sparked another flare of anger in Levi’s heart, comparing him to other Alphas. It was basically the same as telling his inner Alpha that there were other potential mates out there that could serve Eren better.

“C’mon, Eren, if you want to dance, I’ll dance with you,” the blond Alpha from before approached them again, extending a hand to Eren. “We’ll finish up this song and your mate can take you home. How ‘bout it?”

The music blasting was some kind of electronic beat with a woman’s voice over it. It was slow, sensual, and had the teenagers dancing scandalously. There was _no_ way in hell that Levi was letting his Eren spend the song with another Alpha. Even so, he wasn’t going to be an ass about it.

Eren’s face contorted from something loving and friendly into something downright murderous. Apparently, the blond took a step too close to their space and Eren didn’t appreciate it. In one fluid movement too quick to stop, Eren swiveled on his foot and cocked his fist with the intent on punching the Alpha. Levi’s eyes widened, and his hand flew up in an attempt to catch Eren’s elbow. Instead, the Alpha easily side-stepped Eren’s drunken swing and laughed. “I love how much fight he’s got. He’s like a true warrior.” He laughed, “It’ll be great when we’re on the team together. Sorry, I probably over-stepped my bounds. Didn’t realize he was so riled up.”

 _Riled up_ seemed like a fancy word for _fucking horny_ , in Levi’s opinion. The sheer pheromones dripping off of Eren spelled sex and Levi definitely wasn’t the only one noticing. There was a sense of pride in drawing the scent from his mate with his mere presence, but the time or place wasn’t ideal in the least. Knowing Eren, he’d do anything to fight for Levi’s attention- literally, fight with flying fists and biting. If that meant fighting off an Alpha that would potentially steal him away, nothing would stop him from giving the blondie a black eye.

In the strangest way, it turned Levi _on_ like nothing else ever had. It was Eren’s primal way of staking his claim without a mating mark and only proved to Levi more that he wouldn’t ever have wandering eyes.

“Let’s get you home,” Levi urged, securing an arm around Eren’s shoulders to help guide him away from the scene.

“Can we dance at home?” Eren whined loopily, stumbling as they took their first few steps away from the blond who was still chuckling. The mood swing was actually impressive as Eren went from aggressive to sickeningly sweet in a matter of seconds. “I want to dance with _you_. Everyone else will dance with me, will _you_?”

“We’ll dance at home,” Levi promised, though he wasn’t sure if Eren would even make it that far without falling asleep first. “Let’s get you into my car first, though.” He glanced back to Mikasa and Armin, who both nodded toward him. Mikasa seemed to keep an eye on Armin, which was good enough for Levi to trust that the kids were fine. With that, he helped Eren trudge through the way-too-packed house and out across the front lawn.

“Poor bastard,” Levi muttered, wondering how the hell Jean planned on cleaning up after the party. Three people had parked in the manicured lawn, one over a flowerbed. Empty bottles were scattered across the pavement and groups of teenagers were only contributing more to the litter with empty snack bags and… Levi shivered when he realized he’d stepped on a used condom. “Christ, why the hell is this one the ground?” At least it wasn’t Eren that had stepped on it, it was his last thought as he got them down the block to the car.

Eren practically fell into the passenger’s seat, curling up in his usual spot and taking in a deep breath. Levi buckled the seatbelt for him, like when they were kids, and shut the door with Eren safely inside. Once he came around the other side and got himself situated in the driver’s seat, Eren had already fought the seatbelt off of himself. He crawled across the center and straddled Levi, facing the Alpha with a heated gaze. The lust-fueled pheromones filled up the car, leaving no chances for a breath of fresh air.

Levi stiffened at the touch of Eren’s clothed erection against his stomach. Tight pants left nothing to go unfelt as the Omega pressed into him, grinding into Levi while draping arms over the Alpha’s shoulders to pull them closer together.

It wasn’t unwelcomed, but Eren’s state of mind didn’t give Levi many options. Even though he knew Eren was wanting something _more_ from their relationship, there wasn’t any way he could give that to him at that moment. Resisting was a challenge in its own right, but Levi’s will and determination would overpower his own restless cock any day.

“You’re going to hurt yourself, love,” Levi spoke as gently as he could, using the little pet names he knew Eren secretly enjoyed. The Omega would deny his secret love for them until he ran out of air, but no lie could cover up the obvious spike of joy in Eren’s scent. With a massaging touch, he kneaded his fingers into Eren’s thighs. They had to be aching in the way they were pressed up between his own thighs and the hard-plastic interior door of the car and center console. “And if you hurt yourself, we can’t dance.”

The last sentence struck a chord with Eren and he stopped rocking himself into Levi, which definitely aided in Levi’s attempts to calm himself down. Instead of friction though, Eren leaned forward to claim a kiss. It wasn’t like any other kiss they’d shared, it held the promise of _more_.

Eren didn’t get up, but he did pull away to hold a hooded stare. Levi melted under that heated gaze, watching as the street lights reflected off of dark, dilated pupils. Emerald green and gold circled around those pupils, framing the sparkling show.

“Levi,” Eren moaned softly, a sound nearly inaudible.

“Eren,” Levi returned with the same sultry drawl.

“I don’t feel good,” Eren slumped against Levi, his needy whines turning into a sulky groan. “Levi…” The name he once moaned and whined turned into a complaint. Even so, Levi wasn’t fully turned off quite yet. He took a few even breaths before urging himself to ignore the ache between his legs and pet Eren’s hair in a soothing way. There was still the slightest scent of someone else in Eren’s hair, so Levi spent extra time petting over the spots. He even spent extra time rubbing his wrists over Eren’s ears and throat, coating his mate in himself. Instead of in a possessive fashion like before, it turned into more of a comforting motion to help Eren forget about his pain for a little while.

“We’ll get home quicker if you’d just stay in your seat,” Levi reminded him teasingly, helping Eren back over the center console. After buckling him right back into place, Levi was able to sigh and pull out of Jean’s neighborhood.

“Levi,” Eren huffed, placing a hand over his stomach and frowned. “We’re not going fast enough.”

“Are you going to hurl in my car? Do I need to roll down a window?”

“No,” Eren shot back, blushing. Levi could just barely see the red tint under the street lights they were passing by. “I wanted… to sleep with you tonight.”

“That’s fine, your parents won’t be expecting you back until morning anyway,” Levi replied with ease. He’d already planned on letting Eren crash in his bed while his parents stayed under the impression that Eren was at Mikasa’s. Levi knew if he concentrated on his scent, he could cover up Eren’s from any suspecting noses. Plus, he’d rather take care of Eren himself while his mate was in such a state.

“No,” Eren sighed dramatically. “I wanted to sleep with you tonight.”

“I know, Eren, we’re on our way. We’ll get you in bed with a huge glass of water.”

Another obnoxious sigh followed and Eren leaned his cheek against the window, mumbling something to himself. The sexually charged scents still hadn’t fully died down, but with every passing minute it all seemed to level out. When they finally got home, Levi lifted a sleeping-Eren into his arms and carried him through the back door of the house using the new, fancy keypad Hannes had installed to unlock the door.

Once he was in, he crept down the hall to his bedroom and closed the door behind him, breathing out when he’d reached their little sanctuary. He set Eren down in his bed and gathered up everything he needed including a trash can, a glass of water, and a bottle of pain killers for an inevitable hangover. Not only were there precautions to take to avoid the physical pain, but Levi knew he’d need to lecture Eren a little too. _Don’t drink so recklessly. Check your phone more often. Don’t let strangers take advantage of you or even give them the opportunity to. Don’t punch people who don’t do you any harm._ Perhaps Levi would scratch that last one. Luckily, the blond Alpha from before didn’t seem angry about the altercation.

After all the prep, he lightly shook Eren awake so he could get his mate to drink some water. “Eren,” he whispered, lips brushing against Eren’s ear.

A hand grabbed him by the shirt collar and pulled him down in a flash, trapping him in place. Eren leaned up to kiss Levi with renewed fervor, as if he’d been saving the energy since their first kiss that night. Levi fell into it naturally, unable to prevent himself from falling under Eren’s spell.

Eren yanked him onto the bed so Levi could loom over Eren while keeping up with the needy, deep kisses. He happily let Eren manhandle him, not used to his mate initiating any sort of romance so boldly. Logically, Levi blamed the alcohol for helping Eren let go of his shyness and knew better than to let things get too far. But his heart was headed in an entirely opposite direction.

“I want you,” Eren confessed softly, looking up to Levi with those undeniable eyes. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Levi easily responded, leaning in to kiss at Eren’s lips once more. He rarely got a chance to show Eren such affection, so what was the harm in indulging just a little?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading as well as your patience with me. I truly appreciate all of your support and comments! They make me so happy <3
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	48. Chapter 48

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eren: 16  
> Levi: 19

It wasn’t fair for someone to taste so damn good, Eren kept on kissing those soft lips and knew he wouldn’t be able to tear himself away. He’d _finally_ gotten somewhere further with Levi and wasn’t going to just _stop._ The churning in his stomach was definitely just nerves from taking their chaste relationship to the next level, though that uneasiness did continue to plague him. He didn’t have time to wonder if it was anticipation or too much alcohol. His mind was definitely elsewhere.

His head swam with Levi. Everything he smelled was Levi, everything he tasted was Levi, and it was _brilliant._ He just wanted more and more and more, until his head was _spinning._ It felt right with Levi bent over him, hands on either side of Eren’s head to brace himself and leaning down to let Eren hold onto his shoulders. That grounding position helped Eren’s dizzying world and aided in stabilizing the drunken mess of his mind and body.

He was a little thankful for that drunkenness, though, because it enabled him to follow the fantasies he’d dream up at night. There were so many things Eren wanted to do, so many things he wanted to re-create from his midnight dreams. Like licking at Levi’s upper lip before pressing his tongue into his boyfriend’s mouth, feeling _and_ tasting that wet hotness. It was like the citrus scent that Levi normally exuded was coating his tongue in the best sort of way. It left him moaning quietly, yet honestly. Levi was just _too fucking good_.

Just when he expected his boyfriend to cut things off and force him to go to bed, Levi adjusted himself until he was practically lying flat on Eren with their hips flush together. Eren’s height left them a little mismatched for kissing, but it didn’t stop Eren from instinctively grinding his erection against Levi’s. Just like that, Levi was grinding down as well to match Eren’s rhythm.

“Don’t stop,” Eren managed to moan out, trying to keep his voice quiet but knowing it came out much louder than intended. He didn’t want Levi to pull away or slow down. He needed that friction for just a little longer, a little more… A coil in his stomach was clenching and churning, ready to release.

Levi sucked in a breath and grabbed at the blankets under them for something to clench his fists around. “You make this so fucking difficult, Eren,” he whispered through grit teeth. “You’re so fucking _beautiful_ and I want you right now.”

“I want you too,” Eren was quick to agree, close to begging for Levi just to take him. He never wanted anything more than to just be closer with his boyfriend. There was nothing but honest trust, anticipation, and love between them. So, what could ever stop them?

With wide eyes, Eren flew up so fast that he bumped his head right into Levi’s. He slapped a hand over his mouth and frantically looked toward the floor. It wasn’t an orgasm that was rolling in his gut, but rather a sickness accompanying the dreadful ache.

Levi read the situation quickly, grabbing a plastic trash can and holding it up to Eren. With nearly his entire head inside the bin, Eren retched until his entire stomach was emptied. His mouth tasted of bile and his head spun even more with nothing left in his stomach. He felt just as embarrassed as he did sick. How the hell did he go from grinding on Levi, the most delicious moment of his life, to throwing up in a bin?

“Better?” Levi eventually asked, taking the bin from Eren’s hands and setting it back on the floor. He held Eren securely on the side of the bed, rubbing little circles into the small of his back in a comforting way. It was hard to focus on the taste of vomit in his mouth with Levi’s scent hanging heavily around them. The scent alone was tempting enough to get Eren’s killed erection up again, but a rolling pain in his abdomen and pure humiliation stopped it.

“Yeah,” he whispered out. His entire face was hot, and he ended up glaring at the floor. Why did his body betray him like that? He was _so close._

“Don’t tell me you’re an angry drunk, I was thinking you were the needy, touchy-feely type,” Levi joked, standing up from the bed and offering a hand to Eren. “Let’s get your teeth brushed. Think you can do it?”

“No,” Eren pouted, but took Levi’s hand anyway.

“Remember when I used to have to brush your teeth for you when you were too stubborn to do it? It’ll be just like that,” Levi assured with a gentle smile. Anyone could have mistaken that smile for a frown, but Eren saw right through it. That, along with Levi’s scent, eased Eren’s heated cheeks and helped him feel a little less awful.

“You don’t hate me, do you?” he sighed when they finally got to the bathroom and closed the door. His eyes threatened to break into a round of tears for upsetting his Alpha. He _knew_ Levi had a specific distaste for vomit, clearing the area whenever it even showed up in a movie.

“I couldn’t ever hate you, even if I wanted to,” Levi assured, pushing aside the million things Historia had on the counter away. Eren wondered how many hair dryers and straighteners one girl needed and swayed slightly against the counter, still unable to keep his balance. He gripped onto the edge while Levi rifled through the cupboard below the sink.

“Should be an extra toothbrush somewhere…” he mumbled, going through even more of Historia’s things. Eren blushed when he saw she used the same type of underwear pads he needed when he got close to his heats and averted his eyes back toward the sink.

Luckily, Levi was fast in finding the toothbrush and babied Eren a bit by getting a glob of toothpaste on it and guiding the brush into Eren’s mouth.

“I’d rather have something else in my mouth,” Eren grumbled around the brush prodding at his molars, not realizing he had said it aloud. He didn’t have the energy to get embarrassed by it and just hoped Levi didn’t hear it.

He did hear it, though. Nothing got past Levi. “Maybe when you’re not so tipsy,” Levi returned quickly, words Eren hadn’t expected whatsoever. It caused him to nearly choke on the minty paste and his cheeks were red all over again.

A spit, rinse, and some mouthwash left Eren’s mouth feeling at least a thousand times better than before. The near-orgasm, vomiting, and teeth-brushing seemed to help him feel a little less drunk and a little more exhausted. Levi helped him back down the hall and into bed again, urging Eren to drink an entire glass of water before letting him curl up in the blankets.

In only a few seconds, Levi joined him and let Eren snuggle up next to him. With his emptied stomach and fresh mouth, Eren actually felt a little less horrible.

“You’re going to feel shitty in the morning,” Levi warned, petting Eren’s hair softly. “I’ll set an alarm early enough to get you home without any suspicion. Better prepare for a nasty headache.”

“Will you come over and make me feel better?” Eren nuzzled in a little further, still feeling bold with the alcohol running through his system.

“How could I not when you’re making that face?” Levi chuckled softly. “Think you’ll be able to last the night without throwing up all over me?”

“Shut up, I won’t,” Eren buried his nose into Levi’s chest, blushing. He had missed his opportune moment to get into Levi’s pants that night, but it would _never_ happen again.

* * *

Historia yawned yet again that morning as she sat at the dining table steeping her morning tea. She kept her eyes pinned on Levi’s bedroom door, knowing that _something_ was off. Usually on weekend mornings, she’d wake from another nightmare and shuffle her way into Levi’s room to get some much-needed sleep. His familiar scent was enough to chase away the anxiety, at least for a little while, and he didn’t seem to mind her presence. In reality, she found it endearing how he’d drape a blanket over her and ask if everything was okay before dozing back off to sleep.

His door was locked, though. He _never_ locked his bedroom door, not after the incident.

So, at the break of dawn, she figured she’d rather figure out what Levi was up to rather than getting into bed with Kuchel and Hannes. It was the weekend after all and she could nap later. Levi’s situation was much more interesting than another nightmare.

She had to guess it had something to do with Eren. The two were inseparable and she knew Eren went to Jeans’ party the night before. She had gotten invited but stayed home instead, still unable to put herself in a vulnerable situation like that especially when Ymir was out of town and Levi wasn’t going to go. That meant Eren was supposed to be crashing at a friend’s house or be at home, but something told Historia that that wasn’t the case.

In her bored exhaustion, she tapped away at her phone and scrolled through photos. There were plenty of her friends, Ymir, and her new family too. In her mind, they really were family too. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind about it. Kuchel was more of a mother than she’d ever had. Her biological mom didn’t want anything to do with her and was set on sending her to boarding schools just so she wouldn’t even have to _look_ at Historia. Kuchel takes time every single day to ask Historia how she’s doing and if she needs anything, not to mention unlimited hugs and kisses. Hannes was an angel of a father compared to Rod. She had no love left for her biological father, as she’d happily given it all to Hannes instead. And Levi was a brother that she never thought she’d get to have.

Still, why did something in her life feel so empty? Why did she feel distant from the world, as if it were passing by and she was just viewing it from somewhere in space?

Ymir always told her to stop acting like things were okay when they weren’t. She preached for Historia not to be fake, to live her life how she _needed_ to. Historia wondered how she would even manage to get to that point- living without feeling the need to apologize for herself.

The tiniest creak of Levi’s door had her perking up to watch. First popped out Levi, sporting bed-head and his usual pajama pants. Next came out the familiar brunet with the hottest blush and a compilation of Levi’s clothes on. He looked like a complete mess, but a happy mess.

“Busted,” she whispered to herself with a smile.

The two boys looked at her with wide eyes, guilty as hell. It was almost comical how they looked

“I won’t tell,” she smiled and waved them on.

As she watched them scurry out of the house, she found herself in wanting. She wanted what Eren looked like when he gazed at Levi. She wanted what Levi had when he had Eren in his sights.

She missed Ymir.

For her, it wasn’t a battle like it was for Eren. Her status as an Omega didn’t change much of anything, nor did she feel the need to fight against it. She knew that Ymir helped her feel more complete and more comfortable in her own skin. It was only in her nature and she was okay with it. She didn’t want to go to school or get a fancy job. She didn’t want to do anything except be with Ymir.

She dialed her number and held the phone up to her ear, if just to hear Ymir’s short and rude voicemail message.

“Historia? Are you okay? Was it another nightmare?”

Her voice seemed to bring color to Historia’s world again. Just like that, she had found herself once more. “I’m okay,” she whispered and smiled. “I miss you.”

“Silly girl, I’ll be back before you know it,” Ymir laughed, obviously still tired. “You’re better off without me, you know that?”

“Not true,” Historia countered, still smiling. “I’m better with you.”

Ymir gave her strength, confidence, and security that she couldn’t quite reach. Someday, she knew she’d learn how on her own. But, in the meantime, Ymir stood as a pillar of hope for something less empty.

An hour later, Levi came back in looking exhausted as ever. Historia hadn’t left her spot at the table, flipping through social media to see what her friends were up to. “How was your night?” she asked without even looking up.

“Fine,” Levi responded in his usual monotone, but something in his scent let her know that it was more than just fine.

“You were with Eren, so it had to be better than just fine,” she spoke matter-of-factly. “You reek of strawberries, by the way.”

“That’s fine,” he yawned, stretching out his arms above his head. “I don’t mind.”

Historia had to smile at that and found herself wondering aloud. “Do you think he completes you?” She needed to know if it was the same for them as it was for her and Ymir. She wanted a confirmation that she wasn’t the weak one who needed to leech courage off of someone else.

“Completes me? Yeah, I guess so,” Levi shrugged. “It’s more like… I’m an empty vase and he’s all the shit that goes into it to make it look good.”

“So poetic,” Historia sarcastically sighed. “You’re so stupidly in love, it’s annoying.”

“Annoying?” Levi poured himself a cup of tea and leaned against the kitchen counters.

“But in a good way,” she amended with a small smile. “It makes me a little jealous.”

“What’s going on with Ymir?”

“Out of town.”

“And once she’s back, she’ll be clinging onto you like always,” Levi assured with a small smile.

It made Historia smile too, thinking back to all of the times Ymir would visit and make fun of Levi the whole time. Even with all the teasing and jokes, the two seemed to get along quite well. For some reason, it seemed especially important that her family liked Ymir.

“So, what happened with you last night?” she asked with a playful lilt in her tone.

“Well, _someone_ has to take care of Eren Jaeger-bomb.”

She snorted. “Is that what we’re calling him?”

“At least enough to start annoying him and making him regret going to Jean’s party,” Levi snorted right back. “And, where were you?”

“Here. Per usual.”

“Too anxious?”

She shrugged. It was nice Levi knew about how empty her world seemed after the incident and how fucking difficult it was to feel whole again, especially when Ymir wasn’t around to fill in the gaps. “Yeah.”

“Those parties are overrated anyway,” Levi hummed thoughtfully. “There are better ones in college, if you or Ymir decides to go. Or when you get old enough, we can go out and have way more fun than you would have at Kirstein’s.”

She found it endearing that he wanted to make up for everything she’d missed because of her own panic. Staying at home all the time sucked, but she couldn’t help it. She secretly wished she could do everything that her friends could, but her emotions and fear wouldn’t allow her to. “Yeah, that sounds fun,” she agreed. “Way better than Jean’s.”

* * *

Eren felt like death and spend his entire day in bed, hoping that the sickness would pass. Levi kept texting him about drinking lots of water and if he needed to sneak over, but Eren felt humiliated enough about throwing up in the middle of their almost-first-time.

His parents checked up on him too, under the impression he was just enduring the flu or a cold. A part of Eren wondered if they _actually_ knew that he was just hungover and were trying to be nice about it rather than punish him for it. He had definitely learned his lesson about drinking too much, though probably wasn’t swayed enough to not do it again. He _would,_ however, make sure that Levi was with him if he ever drank again.

He let out an irritated sigh, still upset that he had gotten so close to getting somewhere further with Levi. While he set the mating mark discussion aside, that didn’t mean he wanted to set _everything_ aside. There was plenty for them to do together that didn’t involve marking.

His eyes drifted toward Levi’s window as they usually did. Apparently, he spent some time with Historia that afternoon to help cheer her up over Ymir being gone. It looked like he had just come out of the shower with a towel around his hips and wet hair stuck to his forehead.

Eren was entranced as he gazed at his mate. Levi held onto the towel with one hand and brushed his hair off to the side with the other. It was as if he knew he was being watched as his eyes flicked up toward the window to see Eren staring at him with wide eyes. Levi dropped the towel.

“Mother fucker,” Eren cursed quietly to himself. Levi had planned it. His mate was teasing him in the worst sort of way. It wasn’t innocent like the times before, or by accident either. Levi was putting himself on display, as if it were some kind of show to tantalize his Omega. And it was totally working.

The sickness still plaguing Eren prevented him from truly enjoying the moment, but his cock didn’t realize he was hungover and spurred up in his sweat pants.

Levi grabbed his whiteboard that had been stained over the years from overuse. With a trusty dry erase marker, he wrote of the words in huge, bold text. _Next time._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading <3 I am so grateful for all of your wonderful comments, kudos, bookmarks, ect!!! 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	49. Chapter 49

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi: 19  
> Eren: 16

“It’s important to do this sort of thing, Eren, especially when you don’t know what you want to do after high school,” Grisha reminded his son for the fourth time that day. Eren trudged behind him, completely distracted, as they went along with their day at the clinic.

Eren’s school was pushing the students to do job-shadowing to get a better idea of what they wanted to do after graduation. Grisha was happy to bring Eren along to the clinic with him to show off what a career in healthcare would be like. Though, perhaps it wasn’t the best idea to do so on a Friday. Once they were finished, they gave Eren permission to drive to the city and spend the weekend with Levi. It would be fun for Eren, but also left him entirely distracted for the day ahead of him.

Grisha’s family clinic was small, consisting of only a few exam rooms for each secondary gender. All physicians and staff took intense scent suppressants and used special deodorizers to keep their patients comfortable. For the day, Eren had to shower with a special soap and take additional suppressants just so he wouldn’t tip anyone off with his scent. Eren, for whatever reason, tended to have a more potent scent than his peers and Grisha took extra precautions to make sure that scent was well-covered with a neutral coating.

“So, what’s next?” Eren asked, snapping off his medical gloves and tossing them away. He helped pass some instruments to Grisha, which made the gloves necessary. “Another check-up?”

“Yeah, we’ve got tons today. It hasn’t been too busy, thankfully,” he reported. “But we’ve got about twenty minutes until the next appointment, so we can take a little break.”

The two sat in the corner of the break room nursing two cups of coffee. “So, what do you think?” Grisha had to ask.

Eren shrugged. “I’m not sure I could make it through medical school.”

“Kuchel did, she’s an excellent nurse. I’ve tried to convince her to work here ever since Levi graduated,” Grisha offered, knowing many of Eren’s insecurities came from the fact that he was an Omega.

“I guess,” Eren still sounded unsure. “I want to do _something,_ ” he expressed, “I know I can. I just…” He couldn’t finish his sentence, but Grisha knew how he felt. Medical school was daunting and definitely not for everyone.

“Perhaps Hannes could take you on a ride-along sometime,” he suggested. “Or one of your teachers could show you what they do every day.”

“Dr. Jaeger?” a new voice came from around the corner, a fellow physician. “A word?”

“Hold on,” Grisha ruffled Eren’s hair and abandoned the table to step just outside of the breakroom.

“So, you really did bring him for a job shadowing, hm?” his co-worker observed. “Isn’t it a waste of time?”

“A waste of time?” Grisha challenged, wondering what the hell they were getting at.

“He’s a bright kid, but he’s still an Omega,” they sighed, as if sympathetic. “This is no place for an Omega. He belongs at home, taking care of a mate. You know that, so don’t give him false hope that there’s something else out there.”

If it weren’t for the suppressants, Grisha knew his scent would be raging with aggression and fury. “My son can do whatever he puts his mind to,” Grisha informed them, attempting to keep his voice level but failing miserably. “I’m not giving him false hope, I’m giving him a choice.”

“And what happens when he gets a mate that wants him home?” they continued, ignoring Grisha’s obvious anger. “Or when he can’t even get hired? Or when he has children to look after?”

As if backed into a corner, Grisha grit his teeth and spoke in his son’s defense, “Eren can do whatever he wants to. He won’t let anyone stop him. That’s that. There’s nothing more to discuss.”

When Grisha went back to his spot at the break table, it was clear Eren had heard every word. He had shrunk in his seat and chewed on his lip nervously, doubtfully. Grisha wasn’t used to seeing his son so nervous and unsure of himself, it was a stark contrast from Eren’s usual determined, fiery self.

“Hey,” he put a hand on Eren’s shoulder. “You’re strong, stronger than most Alphas that I know. You’ll give every single one a run for their money, no matter what you choose to do. Now, we’ve got a patient to take care of. Want to help?”

Something he had said must have worked and Grisha did an internal high-five with himself. He’d have to tell Carla to give him some ‘good-dad-points’ later. Eren dropped his mopey expression in favor of a happy one, hopping up from his seat and nodding with renewed energy.

“She’s your age and gets a little nervous for check-ups, especially because we have to do a blood test today,” he explained slowly, grabbing his patient’s chart from the usual slot and handing it to Eren. “Maybe you can help set her at ease.”

Not only did Eren’s mood brighten, but he seemed to make everyone else around him happier as well. During the routine blood test, Eren had the patient laughing the entire time that she hadn’t even noticed Grisha was finished. While Grisha left to go get the samples to the lab, Eren stayed behind to keep her company and put her completely at ease throughout the usually stressful waiting period. Grisha joined them but didn’t end up speaking much as Eren had the floor.

“I don’t know how you can handle all these blood tests. Needles freak me out so much. You’re really brave,” he complimented, blushing at his own honesty.

“It’s not so bad, really,” she giggled and blushed right back.

“You’re extremely strong about it. I’m really impressed, I'm definitely not that brave,” he kept on flattering her with praise. In Grisha’s opinion, she deserved it. Eren wasn’t afraid to speak the truth, especially when it came to complimenting others’ strengths. In that way, he was a born leader able to inspire and brighten any situation. It made him a better physician than many Grisha knew, the way he sat on the medical table with her instead of on a chair across from her and how he was constantly making her giggle. He even made a set of fake rabbit ears with tongue depressors, cotton balls, and medical tape in an effort to make her smile when the blood test results took a little too long for comfort.

Finally, when the results did come in, Eren held her hand as they awaited Grisha’s diagnosis. He was more than happy to smile and tell her, “You’re free to go, everything here is looking really great. We’ll see you back in another few months for another check-up.”

Eren threw his hands up in the air to cheer and she did too, both of them grinning like mad. Even with the good news, he kept sending her encouragements until she had to leave. For the entire rest of the day, Eren was as bubbly and energetic as ever. When Grisha asked him what had made him so happy, he just referred back to her. “If you can handle this job and healing all sorts of people every day, I can handle what I'm going through. You’re right, I can do anything I put my mind to.”

Grisha had never been prouder of his son and couldn’t stop smiling for the rest of the day either.

* * *

After countless warnings from his mother and assurances that he’d be safe, Eren had finally hit the road on his way to Levi. It was a long drive, but most of it was on the highway which wasn’t too bad. Eren cranked up his music and got a bit lost in his own daydreams of his time with Levi. He’d gotten photos of Levi’s apartment and life at school, but Eren wanted to _be_ there. He wanted to meet Levi’s new friends and see his old ones too. He wanted to sink into those familiar arms and joke around with his boyfriend. He wanted…

He wanted to _not_ stink up his mom’s car with his own horny pheromones. So, instead of letting his mind wander to those darker fantasies he just smiled knowing that he’d make _something_ happen.

Seeing Levi helped him get through the frustrating (and terrifying) after-work city traffic and kept his mind off of the fear of nearly running out of gas merely ten minutes from his destination. He ended up filling the car up and used the time to help compose himself. After weeks without seeing Levi, he felt as though he’d jump out of his skin when he saw the Alpha and needed a few minutes to calm down. Even after filling up the car with fuel, though, he was still ecstatic.

Levi’s apartment was an older brick building near campus, settled between a bar and a bike shop. It wasn’t the nicest building Eren had seen on his drive, but it wasn’t the worst either. The location seemed nice and close to a lot of the university buildings and there was a huge parking lot behind the apartments so Eren didn’t have any issues getting a spot. Backpack slung over his shoulder, he stepped up to the front door and pressed the button to buzz up to Levi’s.

“Eren?” a scratchy voice came through the receiver, though it wasn’t Levi’s. It was Erwin.

“Yeah, it’s me!” Eren responded.

He heard a click of the front door unlocking and Erwin’s voice, “Let yourself on in!”

Eren threw open the front door and scrambled up two sets of stairs to get to the right door. As Erwin instructed, he didn’t even knock and just threw open the door. Like a hunter searching for prey, his eyes scanned the room but there was no Levi in sight. It was a typical open floorplan with the kitchen on one side of the room and a living space on the other with bedrooms and bathrooms on either side.

The kitchen was immaculately kept with the fake-granite countertops shining and the stainless-steel furniture polished. Erwin was pouring protein powder into a plastic bottle and glanced up at Eren with a smile. “Hey, welcome. You’re early! It’s been a while, Eren!”

“Yeah, it has,” Eren stepped up to the counter to Erwin, a simple question burning at his tongue.

“Levi’s coming back from the grocery store. He had some stuff he wanted to grab before you came,” Erwin explained without Eren even having to ask. “You can drop your stuff off in his room, though. He’s on the left side.” Erwin pointed across the room and Eren followed the gesture, gravitating to his Alpha’s space. Eren didn’t really need the gesture, he could _smell_ Levi there.

Levi’s room was exactly how Eren had pictured it, simple and organized. The full bed was adorned in gray blankets, all straightened as if it were straight out of a magazine. A small desk and bookshelf were both set up on the other side of the room, tidy as well. Eren dropped his bag near the door and launched himself onto Levi’s bed, taking in a deep breath of the fresh citrus scent he’d longed for. It ruined the perfectly flattened blankets, making them a wrinkled mess around Eren, but he didn’t care. The puff of comforting, safe oranges that clouded around him made any scolding from Levi worth it.

Eren poked his head out of Levi’s bedroom to find Erwin again, but the blond was gone. Based off of the protein shake and gym bag Erwin had the last time Eren spotted him, he guessed Erwin had run off to the gym. Or, Eren wondered, he simply left to give him a little alone time with Levi.

Either way, Eren didn’t have much time to wonder about it any longer because the front door was opening and Eren could smell exactly who was walking in.

“Eren?” Levi scrunched up his nose, scenting the room before he could even see the Omega waiting for him. He glanced toward his own bedroom and dawned the most adorable smile when their eyes met. It wasn’t a bright, beaming smile like Eren’s but rather a small smirk that Levi wore only around his mate. “What are you doing here so early?” he asked, dropping his grocery bags and walking over to Eren’s spot in the bedroom. It was almost funny how Levi’s steps were evenly timed, as if he were preventing himself from running.

“I drive fast,” Eren giggled, letting Levi hug onto him tightly and squeezing right back. “And I left home earlier than I planned.”

“You should have told me, so I could have been here.”

“Surprising is more fun.”

“Silly brat.”

Eren lifted his chin to look Levi in the eye and tease him some more but got a sudden kiss instead. “Your silly brat,” Eren corrected, giving Levi another kiss. His Alpha’s lips were just as soft as he remembered, knowing full well that if they kept going he’d start to get dizzy with lust.

“Want a tour?” Levi suggested first, breaking them off. Eren was happy for it otherwise he wasn’t sure what he’d do and didn’t want to miss out on seeing Levi’s life in the city. With an excited nod, Levi took Eren’s hand and led him out the door.

The university’s campus was beautiful and _huge_. Eren had no idea how they didn’t end up getting lost amongst the winding pavements and huge buildings.

“This school has everything, which is why I decided to go. Plus, it’s the one closest to you. I can do pre-law and law school without even having to move universities,” he explained, pointing out all the buildings his classes were in. “They’ve got all sorts of students here too… including Omegas…”

“Lots of them?”

“Not lots, but they’re here. Hange goes here.”

Eren hummed thoughtfully, craning his neck to look up at everything. He could get used to it, the beautiful campus, a new adventure, and even the possibility of living with Levi.

They strolled back toward the apartments but stopped at the bar next door. Apparently, it was where Levi and his friends hung out a lot as if they were living out some kind of sitcom. Isabel and Farlan even lived in the apartments above the bar. He led Eren to a corner booth where everyone was sitting. After some very quick re-introductions, they joined everyone at the booth. Isabel cooed and squealed over _finally_ meeting the boy who stole Levi’s ‘cold and hollow heart’, as she put it.

“We’ve got to do some shots to celebrate Eren’s visit,” Hange insisted, heading up to the bar with Isabel along to help carry glasses back.

“Water for Eren,” Levi quickly reminded them.

“Yeah, yeah,” Hange mumbled back, already on a mission. With Eld and Gin working the bar that afternoon, it wouldn’t have been a problem to get drinks for anyone underaged at the table, but Eren seemed excluded for another reason entirely.

“Afraid to let your boyfriend party a little?” Farlan goaded, winking to Eren.

“Not here,” Levi smiled oddly, as if promising something for later.

After a second of though, a shot of lightening pierced through Eren’s entire being when he realized what his visit could lead up to. Levi promised there would be a _next time_ , so was it finally their moment? Would Eren be able to get exactly what he’d been craving for so long?

Hange and Isabel brought over a little shot glass for everyone. Hange chose a bright blue vodka and Isabel a bright pink one. She passed a shot of bourbon to Levi and Erwin, tequila for Farlan who groaned at the sight while the girls snickered. Eren’s was clear with water, but he held up the glass and clinked it against the others as they all yelled out, “Cheers!”

Eren tossed his back without much thought, expecting the bland taste of water to wet his tongue but the shot glass was _not_ filled water. The vodka was unexpected that his entire face puckered up. Hange and Isabel burst out laughing at their little prank while Levi and the others were all left confused.

“What the fuck did you two do to him?” Levi asked the girls.

“Oh, _nothing_ ,” Isabel cackled. “Also, it was completely Hange’s idea and not mine. I’d never harm my favorite sunshine boy.”

“Sunshine boy?” Eren coughed out, finally catching his breath and giggling over the prank.

“Yeah, because you turn this grumpy, gray cloud into a ray of sunshine,” Isabel poked at Levi’s shoulder as he glared at Hange, who was still laughing over the ordeal.

“A shot of vodka won’t hurt him any. I didn’t want to leave him out of the festivities,” Hange explained. “Plus, he looked so sad when you said he could only have water.”

Levi just sighed while Eren laughed along with the girls. Eren was happy to see that Levi had good friends to watch over him and bring a bit more fun into his life when Eren couldn’t. The entire group was so warm and fun, Eren didn’t feel the least bit awkward as they all chatted and shared stories with Eren.

“Another round!” Hange cheered, “One isn’t enough.”

“One is plenty,” Levi got up from the bar and plucked Eren out of his seat as well. He grabbed the Omega by the hips and hauled him up and over his shoulder like a sack of flour. “We’ve got plans.”

“We do?” Eren asked, grabbing onto anything he could for support but unfazed by getting manhandled.

“We do,” Levi promised, the tone of his voice lowering significantly.

“Can I stay at your place tonight?” Erwin asked Farlan urgently and quietly.

“Oh, yeah,” Farlan quickly agreed, smiling like he knew what was going on.

Hange was back to giggling darkly and Isabel just gave Eren a little wave, mouthing the words, “Have fun.”

“You don’t smell right, I think we should change that,” Levi murmured as he carried Eren out the bar doors and into the apartment.

“I think so too,” Eren whispered, not knowing if Levi even heard him or not. All he wanted was to be covered in Levi’s scent, his warmth, and his love. Something told him that he’d end up getting exactly what he wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... let's let them try it again. This time, hopefully it'll go smoother. Thank you all so much for reading <3 Your comments and encouragement truly keep me going with this story. <3
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	50. Chapter 50

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi: 19  
> Eren: 16

Timid fingers shook as Eren followed Levi into the apartment. The second Levi let him down onto his feet, he wanted to grab and hold and _take_. The hormonal Omega inside of him needed to stake its claim on the perfect Alpha before him. Still, his nerves held him back and that part of him hated it. Eren wasn’t usually one to shy away, but Levi made everything so _different_ that he couldn’t bring himself to make the first move. Everything he had wanted was standing right there in front of him, waiting, and Eren could hardly even bring himself to _breathe_ as he battled between honest emotion and driving instinct.

After telling himself so many times, over and over again, that he’d pounce at the first shot he’d get for something more with Levi, he suddenly didn’t even want to pounce. He didn’t want to waste a single second of the time between them. As infuriating as it was somehow he knew that whatever came next was significant and not meant to be rushed. Still, it would have been nice if he could even just take one step closer to close the gap between them. Luckily, Levi was there to do that for him.

“You okay?” he asked in a quiet, calming voice. With the gentlest touch, his fingertips grazed over Eren’s hot, flushed cheek. “Let’s sit down.” It wasn’t much of a suggestion as Levi drew an arm around Eren’s waist and pulled him into the bedroom. Eren sat down on Levi’s bed while the Alpha shut the door behind them and promptly locked it. By the time they’d gotten back to the apartment, it was dark outside which meant the room was pitch black as well. Levi gracefully stepped around the bed and turned on a lamp to cast a warm glow throughout the little room.

Sitting definitely helped Eren’s lightheadedness. He took in a deep breath and gazed up at Levi when the Alpha finally stood right in front of him. In the low lighting, somehow Levi got even prettier. His skin and hair glowed with golden light and lured Eren in, causing him to slowly lean forward. It wasn’t like the night that Levi had picked Eren up from the party and he felt the terrible mix of illness and eagerness. Instead, they were caught in the beautiful moment of simple adoration.

Levi’s knee hit the edge of the mattress between Eren’s knees as he leaned over Eren until the Omega’s back hit the blankets under them and Levi was looming over him. “Eren,” he said it in an entirely new way. It wasn’t teasing or soothing, but rather a dark and unmistakable purr. Even though the tone was new on Levi’s tongue, Eren knew what it meant. He wasn’t alone in his wanting, and nothing would get in their way again.

Eren didn’t need to say anything nor did he want to. He lifted his head just enough to close the gap between their lips, kissing Levi softly at first to test the waters. Levi pressed into the kiss until Eren’s head was back down, returning the delicate kiss before turning it into a deeper one.

The pheromones around them were like a storm, clouding around heavily and promising something _more._ Levi’s scent was so dense that Eren felt as though he could choke on it, and he _liked_ it. The scent of arousal had his skin tingling and his fingers reaching above him to tangle into Levi’s hair and pull him in even closer. While they’d kissed before it had never been so desperate or wanting and that got Eren’s heart pumping so hard that he wondered if Levi could hear it.

In a mad scramble, they scooted up the bed. Eren rested his head on Levi’s pillow and grabbed onto Levi’s biceps to pull the Alpha over him again. Levi rested his knees on either side of Eren’s hips and balanced himself on his forearms, so he could get low enough to kiss Eren again.

Taking a chance, Eren’s fingers caught the hem of Levi’s shirt and pulled up a little. He didn’t want any clothes between them, he wanted skin on skin so badly that his heart hurt from yearning and anticipating the hotness of Levi’s flesh against his own. Surprisingly, he wasn’t shut down. Levi sat up on his knees, whipped his shirt off in a flash, and threw it behind them without caring where it landed. Reciprocation was expected, and Levi pulled at the bottom of Eren’s shirt too until he could shimmy it off of the Omega.

Eren had seen Levi shirtless countless times, but finally being able to _touch_ so intimately had his cheeks hot and fingers twitching to skim over every little inch of Levi’s perfect skin. He didn’t hesitate to run them over Levi’s shoulders, chest, and abs before his mate leaned back down to continue their kisses.

Levi’s fingers were wandering too, down Eren’s arms and sides. It was almost ticklish and Eren held in a giggle in favor of enjoying the loving touches all while Levi sucked on his lower lip and let out dark little growls as his fingers trailed lower and lower until they were teasing the hemline of Eren’s pants. Eren was wiggling on the mattress in hopes Levi would strip them off. If he continued teasing, Eren would have been tempted to slap him across the face.

It seemed the Alpha got the message and sat back to pull off Eren’s pants as well as his boxers too, leaving him completely bare and sprawled out for his Alpha. It was a moment Eren had been waiting for, dreamt about, and masturbated to for years and yet once that moment came, he found himself sheepish. He averted his gaze to the side and felt his cheeks burn hotter than ever. His fingers were gripping at the blankets below him, tempted to cover himself up but resisting. What if Levi didn’t like what he saw? What if something looked weird or strange? The insecurities that Eren had never had before started to eat him alive until…

“Beautiful,” Levi breathed out, eyes eating up every naked inch of the Omega. He bent down to kiss Eren’s shoulders, pecs, and down to his tummy. Hands circled around Eren’s hipbones before settling on his thighs as Levi moved down further and further.

“Yeah?” Eren asked, if only for the reaffirmation. The mere scent of Levi gave him an erection that Levi was licking his lips at.

“Are you kidding me? It’s hard to keep my hands off you,” Levi purred, using that voice that made Eren’s entire body shiver. It wasn’t anything compared to when Levi took hold of Eren’s cock, giving a few testing strokes against soft skin and forcing out an extremely embarrassing half-yelp, half-moan from Eren.

Slapping a hand over his own mouth, Eren felt like dying right then and there. Levi just chuckled and gifted him with some more slow, teasing strokes. “Feel good?”

“Way too good,” Eren laughed a little too. Levi made the little embarrassments along the way a little more bearable. There was no judgement, only comfort, at the hands of his best friend.

“That’s good,” Levi hummed, leaning in to lick at the head of Eren’s cock.

“ _Fuck,”_ Eren hissed out, his entire body tensing at the sensation. It was unlike anything else he’d ever felt and damn, it was _good_.

With that positive reinforcement, Levi didn’t stop. Holding Eren’s erection in one hand, he lapped around the head and even licked up the pre-come that had beaded up at the tip. Eren felt like he was melting and moaned when Levi finally put Eren’s cock in his mouth all the way. The hot wetness was indescribable and Eren clutched at the blankets around him even tighter, knuckles probably going white.

Levi let go of Eren’s cock, so he could swallow down even more, bobbing his head up and down which had Eren throwing his head back and panting while letting out the occasional moan. “L-Levi,” Eren got out, trying to say something about how fucking terrific it felt and how good Levi made him feel. He wanted to be sexy and alluring for his mate, but all he could do was drown in the pleasure. Without realizing it, both his hands came flying down so he could bury his fingers in Levi’s hair. It was silky and slipping through his fingers so nicely, but also created a way for him to set Levi’s pace by gently pushing and pulling on the strands.

With so much sexual stimulation, Eren could feel the slick between his cheeks building up and leaking out onto the blanket under him. It added sweetness to the scents clouding around them as his pheromones attempted to lure Levi in.

It worked. Levi pulled off of Eren’s cock, leaving little kisses down the shaft and his balls. Such sensitive places getting attention from another person had Eren gasping in both pleasure and surprise. He tilted his hips up and Levi lifted them a little higher. With his thumbs, Levi pulled apart Eren’s cheeks to expose his leaking pucker. It was almost too much for Eren to be so open to Levi, but he bit his lip and squeezed his eyes shut while his mate examined him with interest.

“You smell so damn sweet,” Levi murmured before shocking Eren with a lick over his asshole. He was c _ertain_ Levi got a taste of his slick and his face was burning bright again. He was certain nearly every Omega had gotten a taste of their own slick before. For Eren, it tasted like musky strawberries which wasn’t so appealing. “And taste sweet too,” Levi added, going in for another lick.

 _Oh._ The realization that Levi liked the taste of his slick made Eren’s stomach clench with joy. Some primal part of his mind was preening with success at alluring his mate. The other parts were high on sheer pleasure.

When Eren didn’t think it could get better, Levi poked his tongue against Eren’s hole and pushed until the tip entered Eren. Little by little, Levi snaked his tongue inside until his nose was pressed into Eren’s balls and fingers opening up Eren’s cheeks so far that it almost hurt. The pleasure surpassed the pain, though, so Eren wasn’t complaining.

Levi reeled back to breathe. “ _Fuck,_ Eren. I could _devour_ you.”

How could Levi be so fucking sexy? He was just as inexperienced as Eren yet seemed so much more confident. Eren could hardly say anything at all while Levi was blessing his ears with sultry songs of moans, happy hums, and dirty words. There wasn’t any room for Eren to think that Levi wasn’t enjoying himself, which made the experience all the better.

“L-Levi, if you keep…” Eren tried to warn, but Levi was trailing his way back up to Eren’s cock, letting Eren’s hips slowly fall back to the mattress. Levi lapped a thick stripe up Eren’s painfully hard erection and took it in his mouth again, resuming the easy, smooth rhythm. “If you keep it up, I’m going to…”

Levi looked up at Eren while sucking on his cock, those grey eyes daring Eren to come. They were smoldering with lust and _need_ , dragging out a high-pitched whine from the back of Eren’s throat. That direct eye-contact was too much and Eren burst, coming right into his Alpha’s mouth without any other warning. Eren threw his head back and moaned into every jolt of pleasure he received through the orgasm. While he expected Levi to pull off so Eren wouldn’t come down his throat, the Alpha didn’t seem to mind at all and swallowed down everything Eren gave him fervently.  

While Eren had expected all of the sexual tension that had built up between the two for so long to have burst at that moment, it didn’t. It only grew.

When Levi pulled off of Eren’s cock and let it bounce back against Eren’s abs, the Alpha crawled back up to kiss Eren once more before asking, “You okay?”

“B-better than _okay_ ,” Eren stammered. Finding words wasn’t easy after the most pleasurable experience of his life and Levi’s satisfied smirk didn’t help either. He wanted to describe exactly how fantastic Levi had made him feel, but nothing felt right. Finally, after a long few seconds, Eren found the right thing to say. “I love you.”

‘I love you too,” Levi hummed, rolling to his side and draping an arm over Eren’s chest. “I’ve been dying to do that for forever.”

To know that Levi was lusting for Eren as much as Eren had for him was a relief and flattering too. “It was one of my fantasies,” he boldly admitted. The pheromones were making his head dizzy and giving him more confidence than usual, pushing him to ask for something more.

“And did it live up to expectations?”

“Exceeded them,” Eren smiled. “I have other fantasies too, you know…”

“Oh yeah? What are they?”

“I wanted to do the same to thing to you,” Eren bit his lip the second the words came out, stunned by how brazen he was acting. In everyday life, he was stupidly brave but when it came to Levi, it seemed the opposite. Something about the moment set his inhibitions free. “I _want_ to do the same thing to you,” he reiterated. “Right now.” He added in the last bit, knowing that at any other time he’d be too afraid to ask.

Levi readjusted, sitting up with his back against the headboard. “As long as you let me watch,” he replied darkly, glancing down between his own erection and Eren.

Eren didn’t even bother replying. Instead, he scrambled up, so he could roll over and crawl into the space between Levi’s thighs. They were milky and soft to the touch, perfect for Eren to hold on while gazing at Levi’s cock. He never thought he’d describe a dick as _beautiful_ but Levi’s sure was.

While Levi held Eren’s heart and desires, it didn’t stop the Omega from dipping in to the occasional pornographic videos online. After all, he was a teenage Omega with raging hormones and it sometimes helped during his heats. It ended up giving him an idea of what Alpha cocks looked like and how big they could be. Levi, much to Eren’s delight, was a little larger than average but not obnoxiously huge like some Alphas he’d seen online. It wasn’t intimidating and still made him drool.

Another thing Eren noticed is how Levi must have planned for their intimate night as his pubic hair was neatly trimmed rather than the usual wild, curly mess it was. It was yet another affirmation that Levi _wanted_ him, which made Eren’s heart nearly explode. Still, he didn’t really care about the hair. All he could pay attention to was the cock in front of him.

Imitating Levi, Eren leaned down and used both hands to hold Levi’s cock up toward his lips. With little hesitation, Eren went straight for it and started sucking at the tip. He didn’t waste any time taking more and more of Levi’s cock into his mouth. Like everything he did, he did it wholeheartedly and with great ardor. Eren loved the feel of soft skin on his tongue and the way Levi moaned under him. He loved how he could look up and see his mate’s eyes glued on him, entranced. He quickly became addicted to Levi’s taste, that bitter saltiness that had a certain citrus tinge that brought comfort and need.

Too much enthusiasm led to taking in too much too fast and Eren quickly realized he’d made a mistake as he started gagging around Levi’s cock. He yanked off quickly to cough and catch his breath. Levi fell out of his lustful stupor and looked at Eren with wide eyes. “Eren, are you okay?” he reached out to put a hand on Eren’s shoulder, but Eren swatted it away and leaned back down.

When Levi reached out to stop him again, Eren took hold of Levi’s wrist and gave it a little squeeze. “Please, let me keep going. I want to.” He spoke with such sincerity that it must have convinced Levi enough to lean back again and let Eren do as he pleased.

Aiming to redeem himself and fall back under that addicting trance, Eren resumed. He took it much slower than the first time, but Levi seemed to like that even more. So much, in fact, that his hands flew down to Eren’s hair and gently gripped on which told Eren what was coming.

Just like Levi, Eren kept bobbing his head up and down as he worked Levi right up to an orgasm. Eren was shocked at how much come Levi shot into his mouth and the way it took two swallows to get it all down. He didn’t mind whatsoever, though. It felt euphoric to make Levi come like that and getting to take in everything his mate gave him was satisfying in the most primal way.

“I love you, so damn much,” Levi breathed, smiling while catching his breath.

“I love you too,” Eren replied, smiling himself and Levi too. They probably looked like idiots with dopey smiles and drool still stuck to the corners of their lips.

Another one of Eren’s fantasies came true that night as he got to sleep in Levi’s arms, skin-to-skin, with nothing between them. It was where he felt like he belonged, and a part of him knew Levi felt the same. He almost found it difficult to sleep as he tried to take in every feeling and sensation. Resting his head on Levi’s chest, he could hear his mate’s steady heartbeat and feel the sheer warmth radiating off of bare skin. He draped his leg over Levi’s hips, latching onto the Alpha with no intent of letting go throughout their rest. Everything felt so perfect, he didn’t want it to end.

And, hopefully, it never would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Fifty! Wow! I never imagined this story coming so far. Thank you all so much for reading <3 Your comments/kudos/bookmarks/support have really turned this whim of a story into something quite lovely. <3
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	51. Chapter 51

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi: 19  
> Eren: 16

Mikasa could see that Eren’s head was entirely in the clouds once he got back to school after visiting Levi for the weekend. By the way he babbled when Armin poked a little fun at how Eren and his boyfriend probably got up to all sorts of _fun_ over those two days, they definitely broke some long-awaited barriers.

Armin and Mikasa on the other hand, spent their weekend studying and watching old movies together. He was kind enough to stay at her house over the weekend as her parents were, yet again, absent. She knew they didn’t mean to leave her alone all the time, and it really wasn’t so bad. A lot of times, Armin and Eren could join her on weekday nights so she wouldn’t get too lonely and she found other ways to fill her time.

“You’re going to join the team too?” Eren gaped at her, dramatic as always. He’d been elated to know that he was allowed on and thanked Reiner a million times about it. The minute she found out Eren was on board, she let Reiner know that she’d join too. After an effortless try-out in front of the coaches, she was in.

“Yeah, of course,” she shrugged. “If you’re going to join, so am I.”

“So that you can babysit me?” Eren frowned.

“No, so I can kick your ass,” Mikasa teased back. She would never admit that this entire idea Reiner brought up made her weary. Omegas weren’t allowed to play those sports with Alphas for a reason. Adrenaline, sweat, and pheromones all filling a room with a splash of competitive spirit and rushing emotions made for a dangerous playing field for the two genders. Plus, there were definitely size-differences between the two as well. Eren was taller and more muscular than the average Omega, which gave him an advantage, but Mikasa still felt better about staying close.

“You’re joining the team?” Jean looked up from his lunch, finally giving them his attention. He seemed just as much of a space-cadet as Eren lately. “What about you, Armin? You three never seem to split up.”

“No, I’m not joining. But, I will be attending all their games and practices to help the coaches.”

“Figures,” Jean smirked. “Fine, I’ll see if I can still join too.”

“You too?” Armin perked up in surprise. “Really?”

“With dipshit on the team, you’ll need to compensate with some real talent,” Jean gestured toward Eren, always knowing exactly how to fire the him up in the worst of ways. Mikasa knew he only did it out of jest, so she just sat back and smirked as Eren fumed and spat back some kind of remark.

She wondered if Reiner had prepared for Eren to bring forth an entire brigade of new players to the team. Eren had a way of doing that, unintentionally leading. Something about him attracted others of all sorts. Mikasa saw it in him every day, some kind of fire that couldn’t go unignored.

That same fire was dangerous too, though, and she knew his ignorance to it would eventually get him into trouble. It attracted plenty of people who wanted to consume him, to chew him up and spit him out. There were people like Hitch, who just wanted a taste. There were strangers who would look at him as though he were something delectable. Mikasa hated how something so brilliant could be lusted over so ruthlessly, which only made her want to protect him even more.

* * *

Armin sat on the bleachers that week, watching as all of his friends dribbled around basketballs during practice. He had his textbook on his lap but failed to read a single word as he observed them all on the court.

Eren, Mikasa, Jean, Reiner, Bertolt, and Annie were all taking practice extremely seriously. Historia ended up joining Armin in the stands, watching over their little group and keeping an eye on their newer friends. Ymir also promised to join the team just so Historia could cheer her on, but spent more time wooing the blonde than actually practicing.

Along with the people he knew before, there were some strangers too. Well, not exactly strangers but people Armin had never talked to before including a guy named Marco. He seemed nice enough and was a solid player too.

“What are you doing?” Sasha asked him, munching on some chips while sitting behind him with Connie. “Whatever it is, I’m copying your answers.” She leaned over his shoulder, tapping a pencil to her temple.

Armin quickly snapped his book shut. “That’s cheating!” He whipped around and snatched the pencil out of her hand to bop her on the head with it.

“Ouch!” she whined, rubbing at the spot and grabbing her pencil back.

“It’s fine, I’ve got more than half of them down already. Armin didn’t catch me in stealth mode,” Connie snickered, showing off his mostly completed assignment.

“That’s more like it!” she burst with excitement, grabbing for Connie’s homework to cheat off of. “You’re the best!”

Armin gave up, opening his textbook back up and attempting to get his own work done without getting distracted. It was difficult with the two giggling and chatting behind him as well as the cast of interesting characters out on the court.

“You brought even more _snacks_?” Sasha burst when Connie unzipped his backpack. His adoration for her was thick in the air and Armin almost choked.

Armin didn’t understand how people like Connie and Eren could get so drunk on love. He hadn’t the slightest inclination to find a partner quickly and run off into the sunset with them. After one of their late-night talks, he knew Mikasa felt the same. Neither were itching to find their forever, which was sometimes hard to deal with at a school where it seemed like courting was the be all, end all of life.

As long as he was happy, and his friends were happy, that was all that mattered. Oh, and getting good marks on his tests. After all, that was the whole point of going to school and learning came easy to him.

* * *

Eren followed Jean and their new friend Marco into the boy’s locker room after practice. They were getting to know Marco, who claimed he joined the team for something fun to do. The co-ed team was a little less intimidating than trying out for the official school team, so Marco felt more comfortable trying out. Apparently, he was kind of a shy guy but was nice as hell. Eren liked him immediately and it seemed Jean did too, based on the way he blushed whenever Marco smiled at him. The two of them broke off toward the showers when Eren stopped dead in his tracks.

He could smell the scent of Alphas clouding around the room, dominating every little inch. The only thing keeping Eren from getting dizzy under it was the fact that it wasn’t the scent of _his_ Alpha. To Eren, it all just smelled like spicy sweat which didn’t do anything for him other than make him move a little faster getting out of there. For his own sake, he figured he’d shower at home. Out of an ounce of fear, he didn’t even change out of his sweaty gym clothes.

While continuing to tell himself that his fears were silly, that he wouldn’t accidentally attract anyone with his scent. He took prescriptions for a reason, the main one to block out his scent and mute it. While they didn’t work the best, they at least made him smell a little more neutral. His special deodorant was wearing off too, but he was too embarrassed to get it out of his bag and spray it on in front of all the other guys. He was the _only_ Omega on the team, after all. The last thing he wanted was to make himself look weak or submissive in any kind of way. He didn’t want them to remember that he wasn’t like them.

As his mind swarmed with anxiety, he suddenly felt small. His determination and courage felt distant as he stared at his gym bag with all of his Omega shit in there. Pills, spray, deodorant, and even a fucking special collar to prevent anyone from biting his neck without consent. His parents insisted on at least just bringing them with for safety precautions if he was going to be using the men’s’ locker room. But, what else was he going to do? Use the women’s and get stared at even more? And the last thing he wanted was some kind of special treatment.

“Hey, you okay?” Reiner came up next to him, freshly showered and fully dressed in slacks and a button-up t-shirt. The soap he used must have had some kind of scent-blocker attribute as Reiner didn’t stink of overpowering Alpha, but rather more of a subtle flavor. It was comforting, at least.

“Fine,” Eren lied, zipping up his bag and tossing it over his shoulder. “Just leaving, actually.”

Reiner cocked his head to the side. “You weren’t going to shower?”

“I can at home.”

“Aren’t you uncomfortable?”

Reiner had no idea how _uncomfortable_ Eren really was. “No, it’s fine,” he lied again.

After a beat of silence, Reiner looked between the open shower area and Eren. “If you wanted to wait until everyone else is finished, you can go in when it’s empty and I’ll guard the door.”

Eren blinked at Reiner a few times, getting slightly irritated. While he figured Reiner was just trying to be nice, it only made him feel pathetic. “It’s fine,” he spoke between his teeth, tone growing darker than he’d planned.

Reiner held up his hands in surrender with a little chuckle, “Okay, okay. I get it. Damn, you get fiery real fast. That’s a good thing.”

“A good thing?” Eren took a step back, still defensive.

“You’re passionate. It’s admirable,” Reiner shrugged. “You don’t see that kind of thing very often.”

“Oh…” Eren suddenly felt bad about becoming so defensive. Reiner was just acting like a concerned older brother or a friend. Instead of seeing him as one, Eren only saw him as an Alpha. It was hypocritical to only think of Reiner as an Alpha when Eren didn’t want to be seen as only an Omega. “Thanks,” he blushed and awkwardly smiled.

“No problem. I can walk you to your car, how about that?”

“Sure,” Eren turned to follow Reiner out of the locker room. It was the type of thing he normally refused, but he felt more like two friends walking out rather than an Alpha and an Omega. It seemed like Reiner took everything Eren threw at him with grace and humor, turning Eren’s anger into something like a friendship.

He followed Reiner out of the school, making light conversation about practice and how it went really well. It was easy talking to Reiner, more than Eren had ever imagined before. On the outside, Reiner looked intimidating but after simply talking to him for a few minutes, Eren realized he’d been under a false impression.

“So, what’s your Alpha’s name again?” Reiner casually asked.

“Levi.”

“He went here, didn’t he?”

“Yeah, for a bit. Now he’s in college,” Eren found his heart pumping a little faster just from merely _talking_ about Levi. He hadn’t had time to really think about his boyfriend all day and realized soon enough he’d get to have their nightly call.

“That’s got to be hard, having him so far away,” Reiner sympathized. “Even just a couple hours can really suck.”

“It does, but it works,” Eren shrugged. “What about you? Are you courting someone?”

“Not really, no one has caught my eye like that,” Reiner laughed. “Plus, I spend all my time with Bertolt and Annie, so I don’t even know anyone that would let me court them.”

Eren snorted. “I hear Omegas all over school talking about you all the time, you could get anyone.”

“Not _anyone_ ,” Reiner disagreed, stopping when they reached Eren’s car. It was his mom’s SUV, but since she didn’t go out much during the day he used it to drive to school and back. “Anyway, see you tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” Eren agreed, hopping in and giving Reiner a wave before driving home.

The minute he got home, he was stopped by his mom. “Did it go okay?” she asked, almost sounding concerned.

“It was fine,” Eren half-lied. At first, he felt vulnerable and even a little threated. After Reiner, though, it became fine. “Our first game is coming up, I’ll let you know when.”

“Perfect, because Kuchel and I want to go,” she clapped her hands together, excited. “Did you tell Levi too?”

“I will,” Eren assured. He was already fishing his phone out of his bag to call him.

“Dinner will be done in an hour and you can tell your father and I all about it,” she smiled brightly, excited for him. The frustrations of Eren’s secondary gender must have affected her too and caused her to worry.

Eren first stopped in the bathroom so he could shower. He left the shower running for a few minutes to get the water warming up and tapped away at his phone while waiting. After glancing at his shirtless body in the mirror, it gave him a risqué idea and pulled up his camera app.

With his free hand toying with the hem of his shorts and the other holding his phone up, he put on his sexiest face by biting his lips and smirking just a little. With a drop of courage, he took the photo and sent it straight to Levi. He set his phone on the counter and showered while waiting for a response.

His heart beat quickly as he showered, washing his hair and scrubbing his skin red with his special soap. While he went through his routine, his phone buzzed on the counter letting him know that Levi _definitely_ had seen his photo and was sending him messages back. Eren sped up the time he normally spent just standing under hot water and instead, hopped out and quickly dried himself off. Even before getting dressed up again, he picked up his phone and looked over what Levi had to say.

Levi [6:21pm]: Fuck. Call me.

Eren snorted at the short yet impactful response. He threw on some new boxer-briefs and gym shorts before hurrying into his bedroom and closing the door behind him. No seconds were wasted in dialing up Levi’s number and the phone only rang once before Levi answered.

“You dirty tease,” Levi purred on the other end of the line, voice low and husky. It made Eren’s skin tingle. “What did I do to win such a pretty photo?”

“Nothing, you just got lucky, I guess,” Eren snickered.

“That, I did,” Levi agreed. Eren could practically hear him smiling. “How was your day? How was practice?”

“It went okay,” Eren sighed. “I’m still the only Omega on the team, but it’s okay.”

“Did anyone give you any trouble?” The Alpha suddenly sounded protective, as if he’d drive all the way back to Eren’s school and punch whomever gave Eren a hard time.

“No, it was fine,” Eren happily reported. “I just showered at home and I think I made a new friend. Maybe two.”

“That’s good to hear,” Levi sighed with relief. “And when’s your first game?”

“In two weeks, I think,” Eren hummed. “On a Friday after school.”

“Are you going to kick some ass?”

“Always.” Eren was smiling so hard that it hurt. He flopped onto his bed and grabbed one of the shirts Levi gave him the last time they saw each other. The citrus scent was fading, but still mostly there. “I miss you.”

“I miss you too,” Levi returned with the same longing tone. “Just a few more years and you’ll be able to see me all the time, for better or for worse.”

Eren felt as though he were counting down the _days_ until he could graduate, but also tried to balance out savoring his school experience. He loved his friends and school activities, but he loved Levi too. It felt as though he were living a split-life sometimes. “I can’t wait,” he honestly spoke. “But in the meantime, you can hang onto that photo. If you’re good, there will be more.”

Levi laughed a tiny bit and it came out sounding like a ‘tch’ noise. “Silly brat. Don’t send anything below the belt. That’s mine and I don’t want anyone accidentally seeing you like that.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Eren rolled his eyes. He knew better than to send anything he’d regret later, but he really couldn’t resist teasing Levi with sexier shots. After spending their first weekend together, he’d been craving another and become bolder and bolder with every passing day. “How’s it going over there?”

“Boring. Isabel and Hange miss you. Farlan and Erwin drag me to the gym almost every day now.”

“You’re full of excitement,” Eren said with sarcasm thick in his tone. He tried not to think too much about Levi sweating at the gym as he had to join his parents for dinner after the phone call. The last thing he needed was an awkward boner right in front of them.

“You know me,” Levi joked, “The most exciting guy you know.”

After some more banter and laughs, they sadly had to end their call. Levi was studying and Eren was called away for dinner. After throwing on Levi’s shirt, he ate an uneventful dinner and spent most of it talking about the basketball team. His parents seemed worried still, but he tried his best to make it seem fine.

When Eren returned to his bedroom after dinner, he picked up his phone to find a very curious message from Levi. It was a photo extremely similar to the one Eren sent. Levi stood in his bathroom without his shirt on and just a pair of gym shorts. Through the shorts was a very definite outline of his boyfriend’s erection.

Levi [8:56pm]: See what you do to me? Silly brat.

Eren saved the photo instantly and ended up staring at it for _way_ too long.

Eren [9:21pm]: I love you. Idiot.

The texts went on and on until, like usual, Levi forced Eren to get some sleep, so he wouldn’t be too tired in the morning. And like usual, Eren hoped he’d dream of Levi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading <3 I had a bit of a struggle writing lately, so I tried something a little different by focusing on some of our other characters! ^^
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	52. Chapter 52

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi: 19  
> Eren: 16

“Go, Jaeger, _go_!” Reiner cheered when Eren was passed the ball. Eren dribbled down the court, racing as fast as he could to pass the defensive players. He leapt up toward the hoop and slammed the ball into the hoop with an addicting rush of adrenaline and pride.

“Hell yeah!” Reiner laughed, only to get the whistle blown at him by the coach for his language. The Alpha didn’t care though, he was running on high during the entire practice.

Over the last few practices, Reiner acted like Eren’s personal cheerleader. Reiner’s bursting excitement only fueled Eren’s and they worked like a dynamic team together, heading the offense of their team. Eren and Reiner scored more points together than anyone else ever did, dominating the court like a couple of beasts. Mikasa acted as Eren’s personal body guard, defending _him_ more than she defended their team. Though, whenever she got the ball, she’d always end up gaining a point. Annie and Bertolt were also solid performers, only outshined by the enthusiasm bleeding out of Reiner and Eren. Jean and Marco worked to support the more offensive players, working surprisingly well together. It was as though they could read each other’s minds.

They were ready for their first game that night. More than ready, in Eren’s opinion. They would _dominate_ the court and he was also excited to show off in front of his parents. Levi apparently couldn’t go due to some kind of big test coming up, which was a bit of a disappointment but Eren understood. For Levi, school and work always came first.

Their practice wasn’t as long or intense as usual, cutting it short so they wouldn’t be too worn out for their game that night. Like usual, everyone filed out to their respective locker rooms on either side of the gym. And like usual, Eren forewent a shower in favor of throwing on a fresh, dry shirt and another round of deodorant. No one asked him about it, so he worried less and less over the fact that he felt uncomfortable showering in front of a bunch of Alphas and Betas.

“Ready for tonight?” Reiner stepped over to Eren’s usual nook of the locker room to ruffle his hair and push the sweaty strands away from Eren’s eyes. “You won’t get stage fright on me, will you?”

“I’d never get stage fright,” Eren ignored Reiner’s touches in favor of proving himself to be prepared. He ran a hand through his hair to push it back even more out of his face, aware of how crazy it stuck up. “I’m just happy I can play. Thanks for convincing the coach I’m worth it.”

“It wasn’t too hard after he saw you at first practice,” Reiner shrugged. “Like I’ve said, if it’s a co-ed team, everyone should be able to play.”

Eren hummed in agreement, gathering up his bag. He started to realize how Reiner’s scent filled the corner of the room and how difficult it was to breathe through it. Usually, Alphas tended to have more masculine scents that were deep, musky, or sharp. Reiner’s, however, wasn’t as burly as Eren imagined. At such a proximity, Eren could smell hints of banana, which wasn’t what he had expected at all. It was a sweet flavor, so sweet that Eren couldn’t hardly stand it. The scent overpowered anything, much like the flavor would when thrown into a smoothie.

“So, see you tonight?” Reiner asked when Eren finished tying up his shoes.

“Yeah, tonight,” Eren said without coughing, ducking around Reiner to head out to his car. Mikasa usually waited for him out by the front doors, so he wouldn’t have to walk alone, and he didn’t want to make her wait any longer. When he finally made it through the building and outside, she gave him a funny look. It prompted him to ask, “What?”

“You smell weird,” she noticed.

“Just the locker room,” Eren reminded her. “It smells weird in there all the time.”

“No, you smell like someone else,” she leaned in to get a better whiff and scrunched up her face. “You aren’t getting too close to Reiner, are you?”

“Why would you ask that?” Eren’s brows furrowed together in confusion. Reiner did lean in fairly closely and even touched his hair, but it wasn’t anything other than that. Eren didn’t consider any of those things a crime.

She started walking off to the parking lot, wearing the same ‘thinking’ face she usually did when perplexed. “He does seem to like you a lot,” she muttered. “Like when you were dancing at that party…”

“It was just for fun,” Eren defended himself as well as Reiner from her passive accusations. “And we just get along really well. He gets along with everyone.”

“If you say so,” she sighed, obviously still worried about it. “Just as long as he doesn’t try anything.”

Her doubts were poking at Eren’s quick temper. Did she think he couldn’t handle himself? That he couldn’t say ‘no’ if a big, bad Alpha tried anything that Eren didn’t want? Or that he didn’t respect Levi and planned on seeing Reiner on the side? “He won’t,” Eren said between grit teeth, attempting to hold onto his anger for Mikasa’s sake. Two words were all he could possibly handle at that moment as he got into his car and sped home.

The junior varsity and varsity basketball games occurred right after school, so Eren had a few hours to kill before heading back to the school for the club team games. While eating a light dinner and idly chatting with his parents, he tried to ease his mind. Not only did the anger from his chat with Mikasa still linger, but pre-game nerves started to wrack at his heart as well. All he wanted to do was call Levi and vent about it, but he knew his boyfriend was busy. Levi promised to call after the game when he was finished with whatever he was working on, and Eren kept telling himself he’d be able to discuss it then. Until then, he’d continue picking at his nails nervously and watching as the minutes ticked by.

 

The gym was fairly full of parents, teachers, and students. A lot of them had stayed from the earlier games and stayed to support the club team. Eren couldn’t even find his parents in the crowd, even though there weren’t _that_ many people there. He was too busy focusing on the game and trying to keep his cool.

Their rivals came from a school in the next town over. All the players were _huge_ compared to their team. They were tall, fast, and took the game just as seriously as Eren’s team did.

“We’re nearing the end of the first half of the game, Scouts versus Titans!” the announcer spoke into the microphone with five seconds left in the first half. “Titans are up by six, but we’ll see if they can hold their lead through the second half!”

As the five seconds came to an end, one of the Titans threw a ball from half-court in an ambitious attempt to score some more points. Out of sheer luck, the ball went in and their side of the court went wild with applause. The Titans’ side of the room was _packed_ with an audience that lost their minds whenever their team got any points, which was irritating as hell.

Nine points behind, and the coach was trying to pump them up for the second half. Reiner was fuming with competitive energy, and Eren could smell it radiating off of him. Annie and Mikasa looked disinterested, per usual, but still gave it their all. Jean and Marco seemed nervous but determined. Bertolt spent most of his time trying to calm Reiner down.

Armin whipped out his sketchbook and showed them a plan. It was drawn out like a professional playbook and expertly explained. The Titans didn’t expect much from Eren, and the Omega hadn’t done as much as usual during the first half other than attempting to get the ball to Reiner and Bertolt as much as possible. Armin figured they thought of him as the weak link, which made Eren’s heart constrict with anger. They figured if they could get Eren the ball and put their most aggressive players on defense, it’d give them a great opportunity for Eren to get them the points they needed to succeed.

With everyone on board, they went ahead with the plan during the second half. Eren realized that the other team _did_ see him as the weakest player. They stuck their smallest guy on Eren to defend and ignored him most of the time, focusing their energies on the Alphas of the team. After Mikasa proved her own worth, their new strategy was to keep her as far from the hoop as possible.

It left Eren open to receive and shoot, becoming the star of the show. The second Mikasa got a hold of the ball, she threw it to Eren. He had been left undefended and had a clear path to dribble the ball and toss it in for three points.

 _Six to go,_ he thought to himself, rebounding and hoping they’d make a comeback.

The same strategy worked a second time against the Titans when Jean and Marco worked together to gain control of the ball and get it to Eren. They flanked him on his way to the hoop where he expertly tossed in in for another three points. At that point, Eren couldn’t stop smiling. At that rate, they were going to win!

Finally, it seemed the other team realized he wasn’t such a useless player. In reality, he was arguably the strongest. Two Alphas were set to guard against Eren, both of them towering over him like giants and grinning like idiots. They started stinking up the court with dominant scents, making Eren’s head dizzy.

“Not so tough now, is he?” one of the Alphas sneered lowly, so no one else could hear. “Bet if we wanted to, we could get him face down, ass up with just our scents.”

“Stop it, that’s fucking gross. He’s not even that cute,” the other one scoffed. They sighed and looked toward the bench. “Just get off the court, kid.”

Eren was appalled by their audacity. He glared, growled, and told himself again and again to not take their words to heart. They were just saying it to throw him off, that was all. Their scent was a dirty trick to get him off his game and to distract him, but it wasn’t going to work. He wasn’t just an Omega, he was _Eren fucking Jaeger,_ and he was going to kick their asses.

Their two best players stuck on Eren like two flies on shit while running up and down the court, tossing away Eren’s chances at getting the ball and making any more points. Luckily for the team, it left Annie wide open to score another three points to tie the game.

 _They know I’m a threat,_ Eren kept telling himself to block out their smack-talk. _If I wasn’t, they wouldn’t waste their biggest guys on me._

While he knew it was against the rules, the two guys were bumping up against him to physically push him around and making _way_ too much bodily contact. Eren pushed right back, only to get fouled for it which gave the other team an opportunity to score some free throw points. He inwardly cursed at himself, but luckily didn’t get taken out of the game.

At that point, they were running out of time and down by two points. Eren’s entire body was damp with sweat and every muscle ached for victory. He _needed_ to win so he could prove those motherfucking Alphas wrong and prove to his team that he _wasn’t_ worthless. Jean somehow gained control of the ball and Eren made a mad dash for their rival’s side of the court, heading straight for a clear spot in the left corner. He ducked past the two set to guard him, slipping between them easily and made his way for that corner.

He could hear the _thump, thump, thump_ of Jean dribbling the ball toward him. He could hear the squeaking of sneakers on hardwood and screams from the crowd as well as his team. It all sounded muffled though under the sound of Eren’s own heartbeat.

Skidding to a stop, he positioned himself for the perfect throw. He yelled out Jean’s name and raised his arms up, indicating that he was open. Jean’s eyes widened when he saw Eren, reacting instantly by throwing the ball his way. Three of the Titan players leapt up in an attempt to grab the ball from midair but failed. The basketball flew in a beautiful arc, right into Eren’s waiting hands.

Seconds were ticking down and the buzzer signaled his final three seconds. The entire team of Titans were racing toward Eren to huddle around him and choke him out. Before any of them could reach him, he jumped up and tossed the ball toward the hoop.

Deafening silence followed that ball as it soared into the air, catching the rim of the hoop, circling around twice, before falling right through the net.

The crowd went _wild_ as the buzzer blasted through the gym, telling them that the game was over, and the Scouts had won.

The next few minutes felt like a blur. The entire team rounded up around Eren and congratulated him for making the final shot as well as each other for all working together to win. The Titans stormed off the court and out the doors and their fans followed suit. No one bothered to shower or change, instead they met up with their families and friends first. Eren wandered around the gym, looking for his parents with no luck.

“Good game, Jaeger,” a familiar voice came out of nowhere.

Eren whipped around to see the most beautiful man he’d ever known. “Levi!” he practically yelled, his voice echoing through the gym. He ran up with reckless abandon, leaping into his boyfriend’s arms and wrapping lengthy legs around Levi’s hips. He was lucky Levi was strong enough to support him, otherwise they would have toppled to the ground. “I thought you weren’t going to make it!” Eren was still yelling, even though his lips were right by Levi’s ear.

“I didn’t want to miss your first game, I knew it was important to you,” he mumbled, a bit more courteous about keeping his voice at a regular level.

“What about your big test?”

“I can always study later,” Levi gave Eren a quick kiss on the cheek, one on the lips, and then set him back down to the floor. “You did great out there.”

“You think so?” Eren’s eyes were so bright, they lit up the entire gym. Somewhere deep in his heart, he always yearned to impress Levi in everything he did.

“Definitely. Squared up against those big guys like a badass,” Levi chuckled. “You made them afraid of you without even trying.”

At that point, his parents showed up and went up and down about how happy they were as well as how proud they were. Eren refrained from hugging either of them so he wouldn’t sweat all over them, to which Levi asked why he wasn’t extended the same courtesy. Even Kuchel and Hannes came, along with Historia and their group of friends. They all laughed, went over how great the game was, and his parents decided they’d head home early. Levi offered to drive Eren home and Eren eagerly accepted the offer. Their friends trailed off to go congratulate Jean and Marco, leaving the two alone again.

“Are you going to stay the whole weekend?” Eren was jumping with excitement and the remainder of his adrenaline.

“If you want me to,” Levi shrugged. “You can keep me company while I study.”

“I want you to,” Eren replied without a beat. He watched as the rest of his team members ran into the locker rooms to shower and change before heading home. “I’ll change my clothes and grab my bag. Did you want to wait outside the front doors?”

“Yeah, just hurry. You stink, and I want to fix that,” Levi gave Eren a little push toward the locker room with a sultry smirk. It had Eren _running_ to get his shit together just so he could get back out to Levi.

He ended up running smack into Reiner, who was patting him on the back and telling him how great they worked together. Eren hastily agreed and went to his usual corner to go through his usual routine before leaving the gym. He didn’t even bother putting on different shorts, hoping that his own would be shucked off by Levi when they got a moment alone together.

Right when he slipped into a new shirt, Reiner roped him into one last hug before running off to go hang out with Bertolt and Annie. He slowed down a little bit to look back and called back to Eren. “Oh, Eren! We’re getting together at Annie’s house to celebrate! It’s Friday night, so it’s time to party, right? You in?”

“Uh, I don’t think so. Levi’s here,” Eren threw his bag over his shoulder and started to head out. “Thanks, though!”

“Levi?” Reiner’s nose scrunched up. “Oh, right, your college-guy. Have fun, then! If you get bored, you know where we’ll be.”

Eren gave a vague wave to the others and sprinted out toward the front doors. Reiner sounded upset somehow, but Eren didn’t worry about it too much. He got to see Levi, and that was what mattered.

“I can’t believe you came,” Eren giggled when he spotted Levi out by the front doors. He fell into step with his boyfriend and slipped their hands together.

“Wouldn’t have missed it for the world. You always come first,” Levi bent down to kiss Eren once more. He scrunched up his nose and laughed, “You really smell and it’s driving me crazy. Want to get out of here?”

Eren nodded and the two of them raced off to Levi’s car without a single care in the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya, everybody! Thank you so very much for reading and for your support <3 Your comments and kudos and bookmarks, and everything else have really helped me stick with this story, so I can't thank you enough <3 I hope you enjoyed this newest chapter!
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	53. Chapter 53

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi: 19  
> Eren: 16

Levi drove down the regular path he and Erwin would always take to smoke joints on Saturday nights when they were still in high school. The road took them through a forest reserve outside of town, winding through various paths until they ended up in a gravel parking lot in the middle of the woods. If they were in a horror movie, Levi thought, they’d end up dead in those woods and buried before morning. Luckily, he didn’t think the scene would play out that way. In his mind, they were starring in a shitty romance film (or possibly a pornographic film) and he was looking forward to it.

During the drive, Eren had connected his phone to Levi’s stereo for some music. The songs started off as a few Eren had gotten hooked on and wanted to show his boyfriend but morphed into slower songs with thrumming bass lines and sultry lyrics. Neither needed to say what they wanted, based on scent alone they both understood. Levi hated the way Eren’s scent was muddled up with something else, a scent he couldn’t decipher. He was certain it was just from the game, so he chose not to ask and was much keener on dominating those foreign scents with his own.

If they wanted to be truly alone, they unfortunately couldn’t occupy either of their homes. Their parents would likely get in the way. Levi doubted Mr. and Mrs. Jaeger wanted him to defile their son in their family home. His own mother would have stood in the way of any alone time too, cautious of preserving Eren’s innocence. The worst part was that they couldn’t hide their desires, so even if they weren’t up to anything naughty anyone and their dog could tell that they wanted to. Pheromones couldn’t lie. With a text to the adults saying he was taking Eren out for dinner, though, he was able to get some unsupervised time with his boyfriend.

Levi turned off the car and crawled into the back seat, sprawling out across the seats in the most comfortable way he could with his back resting against the side of the car and his feet scrunched up on the opposite end. “Come here,” he beckoned with a little finger curl toward Eren and a smirk. He knew Eren wanted to but was waiting for a sign. When it came to anything remotely sexual, Eren seemed to prefer taking cues from his Alpha rather than acting on his own. Knowing Eren, though, Levi was sure that would change eventually. The Omega was already slowly coming out of his shell little by little with every new interaction between them.

Eren’s bright eyes gleamed in the darkness at the sound of Levi’s voice. He abandoned his phone in the front seat while he maneuvered himself between the seats and into the back. With a few awkward shuffles and adjustments, Eren was able to lie on top of Levi with their chests pressed snugly together. It was a tight fit and Levi fucking adored it.

“Hi,” Eren whispered into the few inches between their lips. Levi could see his smile in the moonlight, it was breathtaking as always.

“Hey,” Levi chuckled back, unable to help himself from brushing his thumbs over Eren’s jaw and letting his wrists rub up against Eren’s scent glands. He pictured himself in the back of his car with Eren plenty of times, but the two never seemed to make the arrangement. While it was a bit cramped, it was also everything he’d fantasized about. The close quarters kept their scents contained in an intoxicating, perfect little bubble around them.

It was like an invisible, soundless clock was ticking down between the two of them. The rumbling of earth prepared to crack. A low, humming vibration of thunder right before the lightning struck. Their silence held all the anticipation in the world, and they were ready to break.

The buildup of _want_ they’d both endured while apart burst and their lips met in a messy crash. Their lips slotted together naturally, and their kisses were quick and needy, making up for all the ones they’d missed. Teeth clacked together when both of them got a little too eager. Wandering hands went from hips to chests to necks to hair, Levi’s settling in Eren’s hair to keep his Omega from going anywhere and Eren’s on Levi’s shoulders, thumbs rubbing into Levi’s scent glands as if to get him to expel even more of citrus into the air. It mingled with Eren’s scent but overpowered it easily as Eren’s body was muddled with way too many foreign scents. Aggression from the rival team, euphoria from his own teammates, and something new that bothered Levi. It took on the same sharpness as his own scent on Eren, one of marking and claiming, but he tried to ignore it in favor of sucking at Eren’s lower lip.

The first moan he drew out of Eren made Levi’s heart flutter and the second had his skin tingling. Their combined heat fogged up the windows and at the rate they were going, it would only steam up even more. Eren’s lips were so damned soft, but he moved on to leave little kisses along Eren’s jawline, nipping a little as he went to drag out a giggle from the Omega.

As he moved down to Eren’s neck, that lingering scent stuck on Eren hit Levi square in the face again, as if it were some kind of challenge. A deep growl vibrated from the back of Levi’s throat, an instinctual one that he couldn’t contain. The deep, dark Alpha inside of him was snarling. _Who marked up my mate? Who the fuck touched him? Why wasn’t I there? Why won’t this scent go away like the others?_

To calm himself down, Levi continued rubbing up against is mate roughly but Eren was quick to reciprocate. Hips ground into hips, legs tangled together, and Levi’s lips were drawn to Eren’s neck where he started with sloppy, thick laps and moved onto nibbling bites. He mouthed over the place he’d fantasized about marking Eren when they day finally came, memorizing the exact spot he’d give Eren a scar that would bond them forever. That foreign scent was egging Levi on to leaving his marking there, to show the world that his mate was rightfully _taken_.

The infuriating, mocking odor left Levi’s voice hoarse and gruff when he asked, “Who touched you?”

Eren blinked up at him, taken off guard. “What?”

“This scent…” Levi sniffed over Eren’s neck and hair like a mutt, but it was evident that someone in particular had left their scent on his Omega. He knew the scents of Eren’s friends and family, this person was new and definitely an unmated Alpha.

“Everybody during the game,” Eren mumbled, still confused but not upset in the least. He became rather submissive under Levi’s touch, which was the only time Eren was anything remotely submissive in nature. It eased Levi’s panicked heart a little more but didn’t solve the burning question on his tongue. “Two Alphas from the other team ganged up on me, you saw that. Hugged everybody on my team and tons of other people when we won. Reiner hugged me right before I left, I think,” Eren searched for answers, probably wishing to appease his Alpha with some kind of answer. His eyes were glazed over, already lost in their passion but still trying to be helpful.

“Reiner,” Levi repeated the name slowly. He remembered the blond and it all hit him like a brick. The scent was Reiner, and the scent needed to go.

“He’s just a friend,” Eren dug his nose right back into Levi’s neck. “I swear.”

“I don’t doubt you,” Levi was quick to say, petting at Eren’s hair and making sure his wrists brushed up against the haphazard strands. It was still a little damp from Eren’s sweat and all the better for scent marking. “But does he understand that you’re just friends?”

Eren whipped up so fast that he nearly hit his head on the ceiling of Levi’s car but luckily, he stopped before hurting himself. He was completely drawn out of his passive, drowsy state as if Levi had pulled some kind of trigger. His dopey smile and glassy eyes became a sharp glare with a matching frown. The sweet scent of strawberries went sour and filled up the car so fast that Levi nearly coughed on it. “What do you mean?” Eren asked slowly and carefully, waiting for some kind of right answer that Levi couldn’t give.

“First the party and now this,” Levi tried to calmly explain. “How _friendly_ is Reiner with you?”

“Levi,” Eren crossed his arms. “Are you really doing this right now?”

“Doing what, exactly?”

“Becoming some kind of jealous boyfriend. I can have Alpha friends, can’t I?”

“You can when they keep their fucking distance,” Levi lowly growled, his inner Alpha taking over without him realizing it. It was a stupid thing to say, but he couldn’t take it back. Instead, he tried to adjust his tone and reword the sentence, “You can when they respect your boundaries and don’t get any wrong ideas.”

“Christ, you’re just like Mikasa. She said the same fucking thing,” Eren groaned, scooting back even more to get some distance, which only set off the primal alarms in Levi’s chest cavity to the point where they were screeching. “He hasn’t done anything wrong.”

“Eren, I _know_ that scent he’s got on you. It’s not a friendly scent. It’s warning others to stay away. It’s a _claim_ ,” Levi tried to explain without completely losing his temper. Eren was young and Levi needed to understand that his boyfriend would give Reiner the benefit of the doubt, especially after he helped him get on a basketball team. After what had happened with Rod, as well as the nightmarish situation with the people who tried to steal Eren away at the amusement park they’d been to years ago, Levi couldn’t trust anyone (especially with Eren). “I can tell he’s marking you, Eren, if only inadvertently.”

Eren was still closed off and glaring, but he didn’t say anything. Levi thought a rage-filled, seething Eren was terrifying but a silent one was worse. He’d never seen Eren speechless, especially out of anger.

“Please just promise me you’ll be careful around him,” Levi asked, hoping it would bring closure to the little argument so they could enjoy the weekend together. As the school semester came to a close, he knew he’d get less and less opportunities to see Eren in person, so he wanted to make them count rather than spoiling the evening with a silly fight.

“Do you not trust me?” Eren’s tone was completely defeated and his scent turned bitter and rotten.

“I trust you,” Levi sat up, so he could caress Eren’s cheek. In the darkness, he couldn’t tell but he could feel the wet streaks down Eren’s face. Fuck, he’d only been in town for a few hours and he’d already made Eren cry. He wiped away the tears with his thumbs and sighed, “But, I don’t trust him. Please just be careful, okay?”

Before Eren could reply, flashing red and blue lights appeared behind them and blinded them both in the brightness. They lit up the entire car and illuminated those tear-tracks down Eren’s cheeks.

“Ah, fuck,” Levi cursed, running a rough hand through his hair and groaning in annoyance. He saw Eren’s wide eyes in the lights and gave his hair a ruffle. “Calm down, I’ll handle it. Just hop back up to the front seat and he’ll probably just tell us to get our sorry asses back home.”

Eren gave a little nod and clambered back up to the front seat in the most awkward way possible. Levi’s shorter stature made the adjustment a little easer as he hopped over the center console and into the driver’s seat. He rolled down the window while the officer walked up and poked his head in.

The minute the officer saw them, he snorted, and Levi knew exactly why. Hugo, Hannes’ friend, was on duty that night and had caught them red-handed. “Levi, what the hell?” Hugo laughed with relief. “Here I was worried I was dealing with something serious like a kidnapping or a drug deal. Definitely didn’t expect to see you two canoodling. Why are you taking your mate out for a date way out here?”

“Just enjoying the scenery,” Levi replied with a dashingly fake smile. There really was no lying to cover up what they were doing. The foggy windows, heady scents leaking out of the car, and Eren’s blushing face told the whole story.

“At night?” Hugo chuckled.

“The big ass trees look better in the dark,” Levi shrugged.

“That’s what my mate says about me,” Hugo joked, busting out an old-school joke to show off his age. It drew an appreciative snort out of Levi who was still smiling with ease while Eren chewed on his lower lip in the passenger’s seat, obviously distressed. Hugo gave a few taps to the side of Levi’s car and sighed, “How about you two head back home and call it a night? My shift is ending soon, and I’d like to kiss my own kids goodnight. I’m sure your parents want to do the same.”

“You got it,” Levi promised, turning on his car to signal that they were indeed going to head straight home. Hugo gave him the friendliest smile while still laughing under his breath and hurried back out of the woods. Levi left as well, leaving behind any possibility of doing anything remotely intimate with Eren.

As he drove back out through the woods, the silence in the car hung so thickly that it killed any sexual tension that previously existed and replaced it with agonizing awkwardness. Levi usually didn’t care much about that sort of thing, but Eren was the one person who made him care. Still, he didn’t have the right thing to say so he let Eren use the quiet car to think.

“I’m not stupid,” Eren finally said as they turned onto the main road to get home. It had taken him long enough, in Levi’s opinion, as the silence had been killing him slowly. “I know he probably only got me onto the team to get closer to me… but I didn’t want to say anything because I wanted to play. I’m not going to complain. You never had to deal with being left out of the things you liked to do, because you’re an Alpha. It’s different for me. I can’t control it if he likes me or not. And who knows? Maybe he’ll realize that I’m not easy to steal away and we can become real friends.”

After taking a solid moment to think, Levi knew when to admit he had overreacted. He let his inner Alpha take the wheel and guide his actions, which only resulted in jealousy and he needed to own up to that. He didn’t do it often, but he’d do it for Eren. “You’re right. You’re not stupid. I never thought that to begin with. I just worry about you. And when I can’t be there…” _It leaves me feeling helpless,_ he wanted to say but couldn’t. _It makes me worry that someone will steal you away._

“When you aren’t there, Mikasa and Armin are there for me. Jean, Sasha, and Connie too. Now Marco,” Eren listed off all of his cherished friends. “They’re all really important to me too, and I know I can go to them when I need something… at least until you get back, anyway. Plus, they all really like you and wouldn’t let anyone try to take me or something like that. Hell, if anyone tried that _I’d_ kick their ass.”

Eren’s maturity was showing and Levi took a moment to register that the little boy he fell in love with as a child was becoming quite the man. He never realized what a gift it was to be able to see the person he loved grow up. With a little smirk of pride, he reached across the car to tousle Eren’s hair and hum. “I’m glad you’ve got them. They take good care of your troublesome ass.”

“Maybe some time _you’ll_ take care of my troublesome ass,” Eren grinned in a way that suggested something dirty. He’d been gaining more confidence in himself and in asking Levi for more intimate things, which Levi loved. As cute as it was to see him blushing in innocence, Levi was excited for Eren to show his friskier colors.

“I plan on it,” Levi promised, knowing they were quickly approaching the day. The back of his mind preached: _finally_! Still, he wasn’t going to rush anything. Everything before their bonding was still perfect in every way and he didn’t want to ruin it by moving too fast. There was some kind of virtue in patience, it was something his mother always said that resonated with him when it came to bonding. He didn’t want to make the mistake of jumping the gun, instead preferring to keep his finger on the trigger until the perfect moment.

He pulled into his driveway, parked, and turned off the car. Eren didn’t make a move to leave and neither did Levi. Obviously, something was still in the air between them, but Levi wasn’t sure what it was. Was Eren still pissed off? Turned on? Exhausted? Disappointed?

“I still smell like someone else,” Eren finally mumbled, sniffing at his own arm. “I’m going to shower. And then… could you sneak over to my room?”

“Anything for you,” Levi gave Eren’s head a little pat and he chuckled. At least the tension was gone. Erasing the scent from Eren’s skin didn’t erase the problem though, or the feelings that came along with it. Levi had a feeling it would rise again, but hopefully wouldn’t consume them whole.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your support- I truly adore all your commetns/bookmarks/ect. <3 I do hope you enjoyed this chapter! (Hopefully Levi and Eren can defuse this situation before it ends up as a really big fight >.<)
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	54. Chapter 54

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi: 19  
> Eren: 16

“My heat’s coming up, so we put up the scent-blockers already,” Eren gestured toward the plastic frames around his window and door frames, coated with a special material that absorbs scents. “They won’t know you’re here if we’re quiet.”

Levi nodded and shut the window behind him. He’d showered, dressed in shorts, a t-shirt, and a hoodie and popped across the alleyway to Eren’s window. Neither wasted any time getting right back to each other, even after what had happened in the car. “Are you prepared for it?” he asked, glancing around the room. At that point, he knew more about Eren’s heats than anyone else. The graphic details accompanied him in bed at night when he got off to the photos of Eren he’d saved on his phone.

“Mostly,” Eren bit his lip. He shifted awkwardly on his bed, picking at his night shorts. “Might buy some more… _things_ to keep me occupied. It’s always nice to have something new.”

“What sort of things?” Levi pried, climbing into Eren’s bed to sit back against the headboard. He pulled Eren into his lap with no resistance from the Omega and lifted his chin so Eren could nuzzle into his neck. Eren usually got embarrassed talking about his heats, but Levi was genuinely curious to know. He stored every little bit of information he could about what Eren liked, so when the life-changing day when they could spend it together came around, he’d be ready to blow his mate’s mind.

“I was thinking about some new toys,” Eren spoke tentatively. “Or maybe…” He trailed off, leaving whatever he actually wanted to say a mystery.

Unluckily for Eren, Levi didn’t like mysteries. “Maybe?” he pushed again, running his hands up and down Eren’s spine. It made Eren shiver under Levi’s fingers.

“Sometimes… Alphas will give their Omegas a _gift_ before their heats when they can’t be together,” he vaguely replied. His scent couldn’t hide the spike of arousal the Omega felt just thinking about whatever he wanted. “More than just clothes with just their scent on them.”

“What sort of gift do you want?” Levi didn’t know what Eren was getting at, but whatever his Omega wanted, the Alpha planned on getting straight away. Eren could have asked for any ridiculous thing and Levi wouldn’t have batted an eye at it. His Omega could have asked for him to slice his dick off so Eren could have it and Levi would have darted for a kitchen knife. _Okay, maybe not that far,_ Levi told himself, suppressing the Alpha urges pushing him to fulfill Eren’s every crazy wish.

Eren kept his face pressed firmly against Levi’s neck, unwilling to even _look_ at the Alpha. “Some of your… come?” The words came out mumbled against Levi’s skin, but the Alpha heard them loud and clear.

“You want some of my come?” Levi repeated plainly, completely unembarrassed by the thought. It made sense, but what was Eren expecting? Was he supposed to jerk off into a jar and hand it over? Did Eren want some kind of come-filled ice cream bucket? Wasn’t it a bit dangerous to have an Alpha’s come so close when Eren was in peak fertility?

“Like, on a blanket or a towel or a pillow or something,” Eren spoke quickly then, still firm on not looking at Levi in the eye. “Just for the scent.”

 _Oh._ Levi let out a breath of relief and ran his fingers through Eren’s hair in a calming motion. “Yeah, I can do that for you. Easy.”

“Really?” Eren perked up, finally pulling out from his hiding spot in Levi’s neck. His expression was bright and filled with excitement. “You’d do that for me?”

The way Eren lit up had Levi feeling a bit proud. Eren wanted his mate’s essence to get him through his heat, how could he not comply to such a request? It was erotic just to think about the Omega going nuts over a cloth with Levi’s dried come smeared over it and the imagery had Levi’s soothing scent morphing again to reveal his inner lust. “Sure, I’d do anything for you,” he honestly replied. It came out casually, but the words still held pure honesty. “I’ll get it to you right before it starts.”

With that promise, Levi spent extra time thoroughly scent marking his mate. With a fresh canvas of freshly washed skin, the need to dominate other smells was no longer fueling his desire. Instead, Levi just wanted to comfort Eren with his scent. Based on the way Eren’s eyes started to droop shut, he was doing a fantastic job. “Goodnight, Eren,” he crooned, delivering several small, gentle kisses to Eren’s lips. Eren murmured something back, probably wishing Levi sweet dreams as well. Reluctantly, Levi slipped out the window and to his own house. He knew he’d spend the night dreaming of a day they’d be able to finally live together, a day when Levi wouldn’t have to constantly leave.

* * *

With his heat coming up, the world became much more uncomfortable for Eren. His nose was as sensitive as ever as he became nauseous if anything or anyone smelled to strongly. The scent of an Alpha became somewhat alluring and caused his own to spike in potency around him. Those of Omegas had his stomach curling with aggression. He religiously wore an old sweatshirt of Levi’s that was so big on Eren that it was like wearing a blanket, but the fabric soaked up his mate’s scent so well that it made Eren feel enveloped in Levi’s embrace.

Even with that sweater, though, Eren found himself more irritable than ever. He wasn’t a stranger to picking a fight before his pre-heat, but during it turned him into a cocked weapon.

“You should just go home and prepare. You’re miserable here,” Mikasa sighed after he finished his rant about how the school lunch servings were too small. His usual group sat around the lunch table, talking amongst themselves. Historia and Ymir were leaning in so close, they looked like they were about to start one of their infamous make-out sessions. Sasha and Connie were creating gross food combinations and laughing about how disgusting they were. Jean, Mikasa, and Armin were all lecturing Eren about his shitty mood.

Eren let out a stubborn growl at that, dismissing the idea entirely. “If I sit around at home, it’ll only suck worse. Anticipation is a bitch.”

“So are you when you’re like this,” Jean snorted.

“I swear to fuck…” Eren started, slowly rising up from his seat.

Armin pushed him right back down. “If you start one more fight at our lunch table, I’m kicking you out. I’m still cringing from the time you punched an Alpha and their blood got on my sandwich.”

“It was still fine, you could have just torn the bloody part off and eaten it,” Eren defended himself, plopping back down and staring down at his empty tray. He glanced up to all of his friends who were wearing a mixture of concerned and annoyed expressions. “Sorry,” he mumbled out, though he really didn’t feel sorry. He felt like shit.

“I know how it is,” Historia piped up, finally taking her eyes off of Ymir to chime into the conversation. “It fucking sucks. And you don’t even have Levi here to help.”

“Not like he’d do much other than force me into my bedroom and guard the door,” Eren snorted, remembering his first heat fondly.

“Your college-boy doesn’t man up and give you a hand?” Reiner appeared out of nowhere with Bertolt and Annie at his side. The trio loomed around their lunch table, joining the conversation without an invitation. It wasn’t like they needed one, they’d all become friends after so many basketball practices together. The way Reiner leaned over Eren gave the Omega an unintentional mouthful of Reiner’s scent.

“Didn’t you pay attention in health class? Birth control doesn’t work one hundred percent of the time,” Armin informed the Alpha. He glared a little, adding, “Especially during a heat. I’m sure Levi just wants to be careful. He loves Eren too much to do anything stupid or reckless.”

“There are other ways to help that don’t involve fucking,” Reiner shrugged. “If you’ve got enough willpower, that is.”

Eren figured he should have kicked Reiner for sort of insulting Levi, but his inner anger at his own mate for not helping him during his heat was still lingering. The rational side of his brain was hardly working while the emotional side was taking over. “Doesn’t matter,” he mumbled, “It’ll suck no matter what. I’ll grab my gym bag and head home after classes are over.” Regaining a new sense of reality after coming up with a reasonable plan, Eren glanced up at Reiner, Bertolt, and Annie. “Don’t lose Friday’s game without me. If you lose, I’ll beat you all down myself!”

Bertolt snorted in good humor and Annie didn’t even glance up from her phone. Reiner gave Eren’s hair a tousle before shooting him one of those dazzling movie-star smiles. “Don’t even worry about it, man, I’ve got you.” With that, the trio stalked away to class leaving Eren’s group behind.

“Wow, what a jackass,” Jean laughed. “I’m surprised he’s got a crush on you, Eren. I thought the only guy crazy enough to like a gremlin like you was Levi. Guess not.”

“He doesn’t _like_ me, we’re friends,” Eren huffed, gathering up his things to rush to class. He knew he’s just sit at his desk and daydream about Levi the whole time, but he didn’t want to leave. For him, it would have felt like quitting which was something he _absolutely_ couldn’t do. It was irrational, but it was how he felt. He hated his heats and procrastinating on enduring it was all he could do to make himself feel a little better.

If Levi were there, though, perhaps he wouldn’t have hated them so much. Rather, he’d probably wish they’d never end.

The thought plagued him for the rest of the day throughout his classes. He desperately hoped no one in class had any freaky mind-reading powers, because they’d definitely judge him for the complete filth of his daydreams. The lust overtaking him had his mind going to places he’d never imagined before, including a scene with Levi and ten tentacles pleasuring him for hours on end. When the scene rolling in his mind ended, Eren’s face couldn’t get hotter. Was he just fantasizing of Levi and a bunch of _tentacles_ fucking him? Fuck, he was horny and needed to get home as fast as he could.

Luckily, classes ended in a blur and he made a sprint to the gym to grab his shit from his locker and raced right out to his car without sparing a glance to anyone along the way. He knew if someone had strayed into his path, they’d have been toppled down by his non-stop _run_ out of the building.

Before speeding down the streets, Levi’s voice in his head warned him about driving too fast and remembering to wear his seatbelt. As annoying as it was, Eren knew it was Levi’s way of keeping him safe and he drove as cautiously as possible while also taking the short-cut home through a few side-streets.

Eren parked in his driveway and gave the usual look toward Levi’s house on the off-chance Levi’s car was in the driveway. As always, it wasn’t, but Eren always still looked anyway. He ditched the car, grabbed his bags, and made way to his bedroom with tunnel vision. Tossing his bags into the corner of the room, he exchanged his sweatshirt for a fresh one that Levi had given him the previous weekend. It was simple, black, and so worn that it had a few holes along the hems.

Everything that didn’t exclusively have his or Levi’s scent on it was thrown into a plastic bag and tossed out the door of his bedroom. His dirty laundry with a horrible mix of his classmates’ scents were gathered into a basket and shoved out. A collection of Levi’s things were put in their place, including tons of clothes, blankets, and pillows.

At one point, his mom popped her head into his bedroom to see what was going on. She quickly read the situation and started helping, taking away everything that Eren didn’t want and staying out of his way while doing so. She wisely chose not to invade his bedroom and quickly called Kuchel to ask for a favor but Eren didn’t really pay much attention to their conversation. He was busy fixing the room.

He’d wrinkle his nose up and the word _wrong_ repeated in his mind until he got rid of whatever bothered him. Even a few scented candles he had lying around were offensive and promptly set outside his door.

At the end of it all, his bedroom was almost like a shrine to his mate. His bed had turned into a nest of sorts with Eren’s favorite items scattered around the sheets creating a little wall around the entire bed as if to keep out anything foreign. He was a man obsessed with making sure every little inch of his bedroom had Levi’s perfect scent settling everywhere.

His mom eventually came back and set some new things outside his bedroom door. A case of bottled orange juice and water, protein bars, and plenty of other snacks were stacked in one pile. The other had a box Eren didn’t recognize. She gave a little knock on the opened door and looked toward the new things. “Don’t forget to stay hydrated and fed. Levi promised me he’d call and check up on you throughout the week. Kuchel also told me to give you this box that Levi sent over for you.”

Levi’s name had Eren perking up. He dragged everything to the center of his bedroom and gave his mom a smile. “I’ll be safe,” he assured her. The last few heats he’d endured had been a learning experience, slowly figuring out what worked for him based on trial and error. He’d prefer to avoid fainting like he had a time before, and he definitely didn’t want to get the scolding of a lifetime from his parents, Kuchel, Hannes, and Levi for not taking care of himself or pushing himself too hard.

“You better be,” she giggled. “I won’t hesitate to send in Nurse Kuchel to watch over you.”

“Please don’t,” he laughed back. “I think I’ve embarrassed myself in front of her enough.”

“I think she likes it, you’ve always been her favorite.” Carla crossed her arms and surveyed his room. “Think it’ll start tonight?”

“Yeah, it should.”

“We’ll stay out of your way and I’ll make sure the bathroom is ready for you when you eventually come out to use it.”

“Thanks, Mom.” The conversation before is heat was always awkward for him, knowing that his mother knew exactly what he’d be up to for the next week. Still, it was normal, necessary, and he was positive he wouldn’t be worrying about his parents when it finally set in. She shut his bedroom door for him and left, leaving him with the box from Levi.

He was quick to run his hands over the top, reading over his own name written in Levi’s handwriting as well as the big, bold words: _Call Me Before Opening._

Eren was dying to find out what was inside, knowing that a certain item he’d requested was most likely hiding in the package. The box didn’t have any scent to it, which was a bit perplexing. He hoped everything was wrapped in plastic bags or something that would hold all the scents in, as the pheromones of his mate were only for him to indulge in.

Before he could dig through his backpack for his phone, a little knock on his door interrupted him. His mom was back with another duffle bag. “I had Kuchel grab some things from Levi’s room for you. She was thrilled to help.”

Eren glanced between her and the bag, moving to snatch it from her hands and hold onto it as tightly as he could. His primal nature was telling him to guard the bag with his life, but he still had a hold on his rationality. “Thanks,” he got out. “Tell her thank you for me too, okay?”

“Will do,” she smiled one last time before leaving and shutting the door for good.

The duffle bag took priority as Eren ripped it open and buried his nose in the items Kuchel had provided. Levi’s bed sheets, blankets, and a few old clothes were stuffed into the bag. While the citrus scent seemed faded and older, it was still Levi and Eren distributed all the items onto his bed.

Finally, it was time for the package. Eren hadn’t gotten to his school bags yet and figured he’d take out his phone and a few other things before tossing out the rest. Once he had gotten his phone out, he didn’t waste any time starting up a video chat with Levi. At that moment, he needed to see his mate’s face and a simple phone call wouldn’t do.

Luckily, Levi answered right away. “Hey, how’s it going?” he asked with a touch of worry on his face.

“Fine,” Eren happily told him. “Got everything, um, ready,” he admitted, showing off the mess of his bedroom as well as the box sitting in the middle of it. “I got your package.”

“I figured it’d arrive just in time,” Levi smirked, obviously happy with his own good timing. “Ready to look inside?”

“Definitely,” Eren grinned. “Just let me throw these things out first.” He grabbed his backpack and gym bag but holding both of them and the phone was too much. Dropping the gym bag, he sighed in exasperation and chose to throw the backpack out into the hallway first before shutting the door and gathering up everything that fell out of the other.

“Way to go, butterfingers,” Levi snickered, teasing the Omega fondly.

“Yeah, yeah,” Eren stuck his tongue out and thoughtlessly threw his gym clothes back into the bag. A strange scent caught his nose, though, and his face scrunched up in confusion. A pair of boxers were thrown into the bag. They definitely weren’t his or Levi’s, as they were a size too big. An obvious stain in the front explained the potent, alluring scent of an Alpha.

“Eren, what the _fuck_ are those?” Levi asked, voice dropping low with a growling tinge. Eren unknowingly pointed the phone at the boxers, giving Levi a full view too.

“I don’t… know…” he slowly stated, squinting at them in wonder. “They’re not mine.”

“ _Throw. Them. Away,_ ” the Alpha hissed every word out. Even though they weren’t anywhere near each other, Eren thought he could smell the aggression coming off of his mate. “ _Now, Eren_.”

Levi hadn’t used that commanding tone in years and Eren hadn’t felt the strange pull of an Alpha’s word binding in forever. He knew Levi hated doing it, saving it for the direst situations. Eren dropped the fabric and backed away from it, glancing around the room in an attempt to figure out what the hell to do with it. Between Levi’s voice and the heady scent, his body froze. The overwhelming pull of his mate and that scent had him biting his lip and barricading himself on the other side of the room.

“Eren,” Levi breathed, seemingly calmer. “I want you to pick those up and throw them out your bedroom door. Okay?”

The clear instruction was an easy one to follow, so Eren complied. He pinched the elastic band of the boxers in one hand and kept a shaky hold on his phone with the other.

“Take it to the door, toss it out,” Levi repeated, urging the Omega on. He waited until Eren finally followed the instruction and shut the door again. “You okay, love?”

Eren wasn’t sure. He flipped the camera back around, so he could look at Levi and his Alpha could look at him too. That way, he could pretend they were face-to-face rather than miles apart. For that one moment, that scent lured him in and away from Levi. It tempted him. It threatened to tear him away from the person he loved most, and that scared him the most.

“We’re okay,” Levi kept softly saying. “Sorry for scaring you, Eren, I really am. I didn’t want to scare you.”

Levi _didn’t_ scare him, that scent did. Eren knew that scent like the back of his hand and he was terrified. Why would Reiner Braun do such a thing to him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading <3
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	55. Chapter 55

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi: 19  
> Eren: 16

“It’s okay, Eren, it’s fine,” Levi said again and again while Eren tried to process his emotions.

He _liked_ that scent and it called out to him. It was so fucking potent and drifted right up to his welcoming nose and into his lungs like it had belonged there, but it didn’t. _Levi’s_ scent belonged there. The fact that it had been so easy for a foreign Alpha’s scent to cut through his own mate’s was scary and Eren’s rushing hormones were tearing him apart.

Was he a bad Omega? A bad mate? A horrible person?

“Hey,” Levi sharply caught Eren’s attention again, grabbing him out from his own mind. “Eren, tell me what you’re feeling.” The command helped guide Eren’s train of thought and he tried to focus again rather than letting his thoughts run wild.  

How could he admit to Levi that the scent wasn’t awful? How could he tell his mate that the scent nearly lured him into a lust-filled trance? “It’s fine,” he lied. “I’m fine.”

Having grown up with Levi, lying was useless. Levi called him out on it immediately, “You’re not. Tell me what’s on your mind. Come on, go get comfortable in bed and we can talk.”

Following an Alpha’s instructions was easier than dealing with the anger he felt toward himself, so Eren did. He put the hood from his sweatshirt up and over his hair to further envelope him in Levi’s scent and crawled into bed amongst the nest he’d made for himself.

“That looks so comfortable I wish I were there with you,” Levi murmured, praising Eren’s nest. The comment had his entire body warming with glee, but Eren knew he didn’t deserve that happiness. He deserved a punch to the face, in his opinion. His instincts _betrayed_ Levi.

When Eren didn’t respond, Levi moved around his bedroom a little. He’d been standing and pacing around before, but he eventually made his way to his bed and made himself comfortable too. Eren’s fond memories of that bed came pouring back and he remembered how much love and passion they’d shared. If he planned on giving his everything to Levi, that included his honesty. It helped him finally open up, divulging his true thoughts.

“I can’t believe that just happened. That’s so fucking _gross_ ,” Eren finally wailed. “Why would someone _do_ that?”

“It’s a really traditional way for Alphas to show their interest,” Levi sighed. “ _Really_ traditional. I’m guessing… he’s got a pretty strict home life that sticks to those outdated... assertive gestures.” His Alpha spoke through his teeth, obviously upset about the entire ordeal. “I’ve let your mom know what happened, so she can get rid of it for good.”

“Right, okay,” Eren ran a hand through his hair, thankful that his inner Omega wouldn’t tempt him to break down the door just so he could stuff his nose into such a potent, dominant Alpha scent. The urge was there, tiny and tempting, but Eren didn’t let himself leave his nest.

“Do you need to shower at all? Is there any left in the room?”

“I think the gym bag sort of smells like it,” Eren looked toward the discarded bag. He was afraid to touch it for fear instinct took over and he shoved his nose inside just for another whiff. It was just another downside to his secondary gender, one that humiliated him to his core. “I’m not sure I can… touch it again,” he finally sighed. “That scent… it’s an Alpha’s scent.” He hoped he could get his point across, that Levi would understand. Alphas had the same urges, right? Eren wasn’t sure, not knowing much about Levi’s ruts other than he dreamt about being a part of them.

“I need you to get that bag out of your bedroom,” Levi’s voice was lower again, gravelly and domineering. When Eren didn’t move fast enough, Levi urged, “Eren? Now, okay? Bring your phone with you and show me that it’s out.”

His Alpha’s voice helped him through it. Eren crossed the room to grab the bag by its strap and drag it out of his bedroom to toss out the door. He could hear his mother shuffling around after he’d closed himself back in, probably ready to clean the bag and de-scent it as well. Once his bedroom was back to its usual scent of citrus-soaked strawberries, Eren felt like he could breathe again. He settled back in his nest and started to wonder how the hell he could thank Levi for helping him through such a stupid, simple task.

“I’m really proud of you,” Levi suddenly said, softly yet sincerely. The Alpha-tone was completely lost and replaced by Levi’s genuine voice.

“For what?” Eren was tempted to cry again, still partially ashamed that he’d reveled in the scent for even just a moment.

“I bet that scent would have started anyone else’s heat right then and there,” Levi told him. “But… you listened to me instead.”

“I did…” Eren realized. He knew what an Alpha’s scent could do to someone so close to a heat, especially someone unbonded like himself. It didn’t matter whose scent it was, just as long as it was an Alpha’s. “You’re really proud?” He wanted to hear it again, his Omega-side gushing over the praise from his Alpha.

“Very proud,” Levi repeated, and those two words had Eren’s heart fluttering. “I know it was probably really hard for you to do that and I don’t blame you for it. I’m glad you did, though, because I have a feeling you’ll like what I packed for you a lot better. Let’s forget about the incident for right now and focus on you and your heat.”

The way Levi talked everything out with him didn’t leave any room left in Eren’s heart for anxiety or guilt. His Alpha was mature and so insightful that Eren nearly teared up with joy. The open, honest communication they were both slowly learning to utilize only made them stronger.

Levi was right. Eren didn’t want to think about shitty Reiner. He didn’t want a single memory of the guy tainting his heat. All he wanted to think about was Levi, and he wouldn’t leave room for anyone else. Eren had a feeling Levi wouldn’t allow any room for anyone else in Eren’s dirty thoughts either.

“Right,” he agreed with a smile. “Okay. I think I better open up that box to get my mind off of it.”

“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Levi asked before Eren could leave his bed. “I’ve got a feeling you might get pretty overwhelmed when you open it.”

“What makes you think that?” Eren cocked his head to the side, growing insanely curious with every passing second. The conversation and teasing hint in Levi’s voice was already putting him back in high spirits.

“Based purely on the way you go insane over my scent on a normal day,” Levi smirked. He relaxed even more in bed, placing his hands behind his neck so Eren could get a look at his biceps. Eren _knew_ Levi was doing it on purpose but played it off as a casual movement just to rile the Omega up. “Plus, I’m excited to see how red your face gets when you see all the shit I got for you.”

“Ass,” Eren flipped off the camera and stuck his tongue out, shifting his thighs impatiently. Slick was gathering up between his ass cheeks in the most uncomfortable way, Eren couldn’t stand it. It only reflected the churning lust in his gut and added to the boner he’d had for the past two hours.

“Hopefully boxes like this will hold you over until the day we can do this together,” Levi sighed. “After you graduate.”

“Yeah…” Eren frowned at the thought. Levi was firm about waiting, and Eren knew it was for their own good. It sucked, but it was smart. That didn’t mean he couldn’t spend most of his heat with Levi on the phone, though. It was the first time they’d attempted to try such a thing and Eren was both nervous and excited. He’d get to tantalize his mate in some ways but knew the haze would overtake him and possibly make him do some crazy, embarrassing things over the first few days. “When we finally do, you better make all this waiting worth it.”

“You know I will, love,” Levi winked. Fuck, it was sexy. Levi could wink like he was out a fucking romantic movie or an anime. Eren could have _sworn_ he caught a little glimmer off of Levi’s canine tooth like in the cartoons. Another gush of slick bubbled out of Eren’s hole and he sucked in a breath.

“Okay, time for the box,” he decided, unable to wait another second. If Levi kept talking to him like that, he was certain his heat would start at any moment anyway. He slowly crossed the room to get to the large, brown box and ripped open the top like a barbarian with his bare hands. Eren had been careful about removing any sharp objects from his bedroom before his heat for fear of accidentally hurting himself during it. It was one of the things Levi was extremely adamant about, and Eren couldn’t help but agree. Safety always came first.

There were tons of meticulously vacuum-sealed packed plastic bags in the box and Eren wasn’t sure where to start. It was like opening gifts on his birthday and he was practically drooling while imagining the sheer possibilities. Instead of breaking open the first plastic bag he saw and stuffing his nose in, he decided he’d rather go through all the items while still holding onto the last of his pre-heat sanity.

The top layer were plastic bags filled with Levi’s clothes. There were very obvious stains on every item, ones that Eren had begged for. He looked into the camera and grinned, “Wow, you really outdid yourself. What did you do, jack off every night for a week?” The thought had his heart racing.

“I did,” Levi proudly admitted. “It’s not too hard when I’ve got you to think about, though.”

Eren literally whined at the comment, hating how unfair it was that his Alpha wasn’t there with him. “You tease me _way_ too much,” Eren complained with a pout.

“But you love it,” Levi snickered. “Go on, keep unpacking.”

The next layer of plastic bags was a plethora of sex toys, even ones Eren had never tried before. It all made him blush and salivate, dreaming up ways to use them. Anal plugs and beads of all different materials were included. A few different prostate massagers were wrapped up too. Lastly were several bottles of lubrication, which Eren knew would come in handy and would last him the duration of his heat. Levi went above and beyond to get Eren a variety of toys that he’d possibly mentioned at one time or another and his new collection expanded beyond the few toys he’d held onto since his first heat.

Blushing, Eren held one dildo in particular up to the camera. The silicone toy wobbled in his grasp and crinkled against the plastic it was wrapped in. “This one looks like yours,” he commented with a smile on his lips. “Was that planned?”

Levi snorted in amusement. “Perhaps,” he vaguely responded. A little huff accompanied the word and Eren knew that meant his Alpha was a bit proud, most likely over the fact that Eren went straight for the toy that most resembled his mate.

Eren set the toy down along with the others and grabbed the last item in the bag: a huge, fluffy blanket wrapped up in plastic. It was a beautiful hunter green color and Eren _knew_ the fabric was the best kind for soaking up scents.

“For your nest,” Levi explained. “I know you tend to build up really comfortable ones and I wanted to help.”

Eren’s heart nearly jumped out of his chest at the sentiment and thoughtfulness of his mate. His hormones made him want to cry with joy, but he blinked back the tears and smiled instead. “I love it,” he laughed. It was the first thing he planned on breaking open after corralling the cardboard box into his closet.

“Let’s unwrap everything and put the plastic away,” Levi suggested carefully. “Then we can finish up our nest.”

The way Levi carefully chose words like _let’s_ and _our_ made Eren’s heart leap again. It was like his mate was there, guiding him through the heat and taking precautions like a worried mother. “Right,” he agreed, starting with his newest favorite blanket. He propped his phone up on his desk, so Levi could see what he was doing and Eren could use both of his hands.

Eren ripped open the plastic and was nearly knocked out by a thick wave of Levi’s scent. The ripe summer oranges hit his nose so wonderfully that he found himself sucking it in as if he were smoking a cigarette. He needed that scent to consume him and fill his lungs completely. His head started to feel light and dizzy. He started producing enough slick that a bit of it dripped onto his upper thigh from between his cheeks.

“Eren,” Levi’s voice reeled him back. “Let’s finish unwrapping, okay?”

Eren whined but complied. He set the plastic wrapping away in the closet and moved on quickly, trying to go as fast as he could. He held his breath, though it wasn’t easy whenever he needed to take a big gulp of air only to get a face-full of Levi’s scent. He saved the come-stained clothes and blankets for last, knowing full well that they would throw him right over the edge. When that was all that was left, he tore through each one of them like a maniac and tossed the plastic like wrapping paper right into the closet. The second he was done, he shut the closet doors and grabbed every little item to take to his nest. Firstly, and most importantly, he adjusted the green blanket to encompass the entire nest. He dumped the rest of the articles onto his bed and grabbed his phone. As he got on top of his bed, surrounded by Levi’s scent, he felt like Levi was actually there.

“That looks much better,” Levi hummed. “You look pretty against that color.”

“I do?” Eren asked while breathing in as much of his mate’s scent as he could. The restlessness in his tummy was about to break free and the overwhelming rush of hormones would soon take over. He could feel it coming hard and fast, there wasn’t much sanity left in him. The unstoppable will to mate and breed urged to overtake him, and Eren wasn’t afraid at all. He had Levi’s voice and Levi’s scent and while it wasn’t ideal, it was good enough for the moment. His mate was thoughtful and wonderful and so beautiful, it blocked out all of the nightmares in Eren’s life and let in only the best of feelings.

* * *

Levi bit his lip so hard that he drew blood. It definitely wasn’t intended, but it was impossible not to as he watched Eren slowly unravel and lose himself. Luckily, he convinced Eren to prop up the phone on his bedside table, so Levi had a full view of his nest and the way Eren pressed his nose into the come-stained t-shirt Levi sent him.

He’d taken weeks to prepare each item, making sure it was thoroughly covered in his scent and potent enough to please his mate. Even the toys had been doused in his scent and he’d even gotten caught rubbing one up against his scent glands one night while studying. He’d never live it down, but it didn’t matter as long as Eren was happy.

“Smell good, love?” he asked, making sure to keep his voice heavy in Eren’s ear. The night was wearing on and Levi’s eyes were drooping with exhaustion, but his heart was pounding with wakefulness. He needed to stay alert as he could until he could coax Eren to sleep.

Eren just moaned into the cloth, reaching down to jerk himself off without an ounce of gentleness. He’d had several orgasms since his heat started, the first few were quick and rushed while the last were worked for. Levi could tell his mate was growing sleepy but needed to find that last burst of pleasure before allowing his body to rest.

Levi decided to try something new, if only to help Eren get the rest his body desperately needed. “Sit up, let me see,” he asked, keeping his tone strong and almost a little demanding.

His Omega was quick to respond, adjusting himself so he could prop his back up against the wall and face the camera, giving Levi a beautiful view. Eren spread his legs out and put his tired erection on display. He worked it with quick, rough strokes with only his own slick as lubrication. “Let me see you too,” Eren drawled out with the sexiest grin.

The entire time, Levi had been trying to put all of his focus on Eren and his mate’s needs rather than himself. It left him with the most painful erection and a mind full of dirty thoughts. So, if Eren wanted to see him too that was exactly what his mate would get.

Levi did the same as Eren, propping the camera up carefully on his bedside table and he shucked his clothes off as quickly as he could, leaving himself just as bare as Eren.

“ _Alpha,_ ” Eren sighed and smiled when he could see Levi’s cock. The Omega’s lips fell open as if he wanted to lean through the phone screen and lick his mate’s waiting cock.

Taking a quick dab of lotion from the bottle he kept near his bed, Levi started slowly stroking himself and making it a show for his mate. He used slow, methodical movements that slowly grew in pace as he worked himself up and up. “Fuck, Eren,” he cursed through grit teeth, keeping his eyes on the screen as Eren worked a dildo into his backside and pumped his own cock at the same time. “So fucking pretty,” Levi sighed, unable to take his eyes off of his mate.

A jolt of pleasure startled him, realizing that it didn’t take long for them to come together. Eren had burst as well, panting and smiling like he’d reached the gates of heaven. For Levi, it was unexpectedly quick and Eren seemed more relieved than anything else.

“I love you,” Eren breathed over and over again.

“I love you too, Eren,” Levi returned with the same fervor. “Can you get some sleep for me?”

Eren nodded slowly, nestling into the blankets, clothes, and pillows he’d used to make up his nest. Levi wanted nothing more than to be there with him, but instead whispered every sweet little nothing he could think of until he was certain Eren was asleep. Until he could physically be there with his mate for the entire duration of his heat, though, Levi would dream about it and he hoped Eren would too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading <3 We'll get more into Eren's heat in the next chapter- yay <3
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	56. Chapter 56

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi: 19  
> Eren: 16

“Why are you texting your sister during Eren’s heat? Shouldn’t you be stowed away in your bedroom on your phone with him?” Erwin asked, leaning over the couch to peep at Levi’s phone. It wasn’t wise of his friend as Levi had consistently been on edge since Eren’s heat had started.

“He’s napping,” Levi announced, choosing to be as brief as possible. The primal side of his brain was screeching, infuriated that another Alpha even _mentioned_ his mate’s heat. If Erwin mentioned it, it meant that he visualized it. Those thoughts were for Levi _only._ It was irrational, but the hot panging in his heart didn’t pay any mind to what was a reasonable emotion and what wasn’t.

Erwin was saved by the little bell on Levi’s phone, letting him know that Historia had finally answered him back. He told her about what Reiner Braun had done, unable to get the thought out of his head, and wanted to know what the fucker’s deal was.

Historia [2:32pm]: We think he’s got a crush on Eren. Always tries to one-up you and help him out.

Levi [2:34pm]: Does Eren know?

Knowing Eren, he was probably oblivious to the situation while everyone else was fully aware. Levi loved the guy, but he could be a complete dunce when it came to emotions. Of course, Levi wasn’t much better but at least he could tell when someone was interested in him.

Historia [2:34pm]: No. He doesn’t care. He’s got you.

It was a strangely assuring message from her and Levi figured that was good enough. He’d figure out the situation later. In the meantime, he’d rush around the apartment in an attempt to take care of himself as quickly as he could, so he could get back to Eren before he woke up. He’d been in such a hurry that he didn’t even think to throw on anything other than some sweatpants. Hell, he hadn’t showered in a while and probably stank of pheromones.

“Hey, what do you think it’d be like if two Alphas spent their ruts together?” Erwin asked, completely out of the blue. He lingered around the kitchen with something obviously weighing on his mind.

It was so spontaneous of a question that Levi stopped mid-walk to the kitchen and looked at Erwin blankly. “What the fuck did you just ask me?”

“What do you think it’d be like if two Alphas shared their ruts together?” Erwin didn’t even try to rephrase himself like he usually did, looking completely unfazed by Levi’s temper.

“Are you smoking without me again?” Levi mumbled, making his way back to the pantry for a quick bowl of cereal. “I swear, you and Farlan are always smoking without me.”

“Since when do you care?” Erwin snorted. “It was just a thought. You get so pissed off when you’re about to have yours, it’d probably be a disaster if I had mine around the same time in this little apartment.”

“Me and you? Yeah, that’d be a disaster,” Levi agreed without needing to think about it too much. They were both violently agitated when their ruts were slowly coming up. Luckily for them, they never lined up together at all. “Some people could probably make it work, but we’d tear each other’s faces off in a bad way.”

“Is there a good way to tear each other’s faces off?” Erwin asked with a laugh.

Levi just shrugged, “Probably.” He thought about how he’d been wanting to kiss Eren’s face all over, biting at plump cheeks and soft lips. After snapping out of it, he realized that his pre-rut scents and behaviors were probably really affecting his roommate, possibly more than usual with Eren on constant video-chat. “Sorry, I can go buy some more scent-blockers or some shit like that.”

“It’s fine, I’ll probably just pack a bag and head to Farlan and Isabel’s,” Erwin shrugged. “It’s not a big deal, really.”

“If you say so.” Levi finished up his bowl of cereal, he had eaten it like a starving mongrel. He hadn’t realized how little he’d eaten during Eren’s heat. Looking up, he realized Erwin was still there biting his lip. “You know, if there’s something you want to say… I’m not the best person to ask advice from. That’s Farlan’s thing. Or even Hange’s if you’re desperate.”

“Right…” Erwin’s whole body relaxed. Levi wasn’t going to lie, he was truly shit at real advice or his friends. Erwin, realizing it, let go of whatever he had planned on saying. “Don’t forget to put a shirt on and go to class eventually,” Erwin reminded him instead. “Or to take a shower or two. You stink.”

“Gee thanks, mom,” Levi sarcastically waved to his friend as he fled right back to his own bedroom and shut the door behind him. His phone was propped up and charging on his bedside table and Levi was happy to see that Eren was still snoozing. His poor mate could barely sleep due to the unyielding urges he endured.

As an Alpha, Levi bore more guilt than he had anticipated as he watched Eren throughout his heat. The uncensored version, camera and all, gave him the most beautiful view of his mate but it lacked the tactile aspect of a heat that his inner Alpha craved so direly. He’d find himself clenching his fists so hard that his fingernails would cut little half-circles into his palms. Simply watching was never and would never be enough. Eren seemed to want him there, though, so he’d ignore his own selfish needs and concentrate on him instead. After all, Eren was the one going through the heat.

Erwin wasn’t wrong when he noticed Levi was close to his rut. So much stimulation from Eren triggered it effortlessly and Levi was starting to itch with a pre-rut fever. For his entire life, his rut always followed Eren’s heat as they slowly synced up together. Most times, they tended to overlap which was starting to cause them a series of new issues at hand. Levi could vividly remember a time when he nearly used a boot to smash through his bedroom window, so he could claw his way across the little grass alley to Eren’s room. He seriously hated the urges of his secondary gender.

But he couldn’t help but be tantalized by Eren’s urges. He was surprised his word-binding still worked on the Omega, as he hadn’t used it in years. The way Eren responded so dutifully was a horrible sort of turn-on. It left Levi feeling proud of his mate for relying on him, but also guilty as hell for urging Eren to do something without much consent. Doing something as important as getting rid of a foreign Alpha’s scent from his bedroom was one thing but using the power over his Omega for anything less noble wasn’t an option. Eren told him again and again that he wouldn’t resent Levi for commanding him in such a way and that he trusted his mate, but it still left Levi feeling a bit slimy at the end of the day.

“Levi,” Eren slurred drowsily, nuzzling his nose into the blanket under him and breathing in deeply.

“Eren,” Levi returned in the most soft and soothing voice he could manage. His first priority was making Eren as comfortable as possible. He wanted his mate to be safe, healthy and happy. In order to do so, he suppressed those Alpha-urges deep down into his gut. “You’re cute when you’re sleepy,” he admitted. He knew his friends would have died if they heard him say that aloud, it definitely wasn’t in his nature. However, for Eren, everything seemed to change.

“You’re cute always,” Eren mumbled back, still rubbing his face into his nest. “Where were you?”

“Just had to grab something to eat and talked with Erwin. Nothing special. You should eat something too.” Levi settled back onto his bed. “Could you do that for me?” During a heat, Eren best responded to direct requests and gentle coaxing.

“Erwin?” Eren’s face contorted from dreamy and dazed to downright threatened. His brows knit together, and he bared his teeth like an animal.

“He’s leaving the apartment,” Levi tried to mend his mistake. He shouldn’t have mentioned another person to his Omega, that was his fault.

Eren was still glaring at him but softened rather quickly. His emotions were all over the place and he didn’t have his Alpha physically there to help balance him out. Another pang of guilt stabbed at Levi’s heart at that new thought. “Eren, can you eat something for me?” he asked again.

“Not hungry,” Eren ignored him in favor of picking up his new favorite toy from the blanket next to him. It was the light purple dildo that bore a striking resemblance to Levi’s cock without the knot. As an indisputable favorite, Eren kept it close during the first few hours of his heat to make it through the early uncontrollable phases. As if his goal was to punish Levi for mentioning Erwin’s name, Eren started sucking at the tip of the dildo and staring at the camera.

“Eren,” Levi warned. He wasn’t sure he could handle another round of keeping his own erection under control while being there for Eren at the same time. The constant push and pull between Eren’s and his own needs wasn’t easy. If he went one-for-one with Eren as far as orgasms went, Levi knew he wouldn’t last long at all before passing out from exhaustion. His mate was truly amazing.

“Fine, fine, I’ll eat,” Eren huffed, setting the toy down and shuffling with the food and beverages he kept near his bed. He downed two bottles of orange juice in a row and munched on a few granola bars, keeping his eyes on Levi the entire time as if to prove he’d followed his Alpha’s instruction.

“Slow down or you’ll choke,” Levi laughed a little, always amused at Eren’s eagerness in everything he did.

“I _want_ to choke… on your cock…” Eren spoke as he chewed.

“You’re going to kill me,” Levi let him know with a little smile. “Without even trying.”

Sensing Levi was satisfied, Eren went back in for the dildo. There were a few more rounds of coming he’d go through before finding sleep again and Levi intended on accompanying him through it all. It meant missing class and spending most of his days locked away in his bedroom, but it was worth it. At the end of the day, he’d happily do whatever it took to take care of Eren for the next few days.

* * *

School was especially quiet without Eren around to liven the place up, Mikasa realized as she ate lunch with her usual group of friends. Eren’s place was empty and she found herself glancing to her left expecting to see him, but always turning away with slight disappointment. She caught Armin doing the same thing a few times, he obviously missed Eren too. He’d been gone for a little over a week, but it seemed like a lot longer than that.

Across the table, Jean and Marco were flirting per usual. Ever since they met, they couldn’t stop talking to each other. Mikasa liked Marco, he seemed to help level out Jean and put a smile on his face. Historia and Ymir were as obviously in love as always. Connie was attempting to make Sasha laugh again, his affections blatantly clear while she remained oblivious.

A specific trio of Alphas approached their table and the entire group of friends stared up with accusing glares. Historia had told them what Reiner did to Eren, and none of them would be willing to forgive the act so easily. Sure, presenting such a gift to an Omega near their heat was traditional and not entirely unexpected, but Erne was taken. It could have hurt him and his relationship. While she didn’t always agree with Levi, she did respect him. He took good care of her best friend, even if he couldn’t always be around.

“When’s Jaeger back again?” Reiner asked, unaware that they knew what he had done. He had his charming smile and guard lowered like always, making him seem friendly and approachable. He had Mikasa thinking he was actually a stand-up guy until he pulled such a stunt. “He’s going to be pissed if he misses any more practice.”

“Listen up, _mister,_ ” Connie started to get up from his seat with a scowl. Sasha yanked him right back down and snickered about how he actually used the word ‘mister’ to threaten someone.

“It’s none of our business,” Jean shrugged, keeping a calm face. “That loser can’t stand missing out on shit, though, so I’m sure he’ll be back soon enough.”

“Is he doing okay?” Bertolt asked with a smile. Mikasa still wasn’t sure if she could trust him or not.

“He’s got Levi, he’ll be fine,” Armin happily informed him, keeping the tension to a minimum.

Reiner and Bertolt nodded while Annie seemingly ignored them. She didn’t seem too invested in the conversation or the topic of Eren in general. She did, however, give a little wave to one of the upperclassmen teachers. “See you after lunch, Mr. Braun,” she greeted in her usual monotone. He waved back politely and continued on his way across the cafeteria without another word.

“Braun…?” Jean slowly said. “Shit, Reiner, I didn’t know your dad was teacher.”

“My mom is too,” he shrugged with a little frown. “They only teach the college classes, so you’ve probably never seen them around before. They’re only here a few days out of the week anyway.”

“You’re in a college-level class?” Armin asked Annie, piqued. She just nodded and turned her face away, Mikasa couldn’t tell if she was extremely shy or just rude.

“We all are,” Bertolt told him, speaking in Annie’s place. “It’s why we’re not on varsity teams. Those take up too much time and wouldn’t leave us enough time to study.”

“Wow, you’re all really dedicated,” Marco commented.

“I guess,” Reiner seemed unsteady, his usual nice-guy mask falling to reveal something else. Mikasa tried to read him, but it was nearly impossible with a guy like Reiner. Perhaps there was a bit more than just a pretty boy behind that smile. “They’re going on a research trip this weekend so I’m throwing a party at my house. You guys should all come. It’s going to be tight as fuck. Anyway, we’ve really got to go. See you guys later.” With that, the trio made a quick get-away to class.

“He didn’t look guilty at all,” Connie pointed out the moment they left. He glanced over to Historia, “Are you sure that Reiner’s guilty?”

“Maybe he’s just a good liar,” Sasha guessed. “Or he didn’t even realize he did it?”

“How’d Eren know it was his?” Armin decided to jump into the conversation, always prepared to solve a mystery based on logic alone.

“Scent,” Historia was finally able to answer over all the interjections. “Eren knows his scent really well. It was unmistakable. And it was zipped into the bag and hidden under some other stuff, so it couldn’t have been an accident. If it were thrown on top accidentally, Eren would have probably noticed it before he even got home… Levi texted me all about it a few days ago. He’s still furious about it but can’t do much.”

They were all quiet for a moment, probably torn between wanting to deny that Reiner would do something so unsavory or possibly thinking up ways to murder the bastard. It also left them torn on whether or not to go to his party or not. Mikasa was on the latter team and wondered what sorts of items were in her locker that she could use for a weapon. In the end, none of them were able to come up with a clear decision or opinion besides Mikasa. She and Armin walked to their next class together in a typical, comfortable silence that they both kept. Armin liked the quiet for thinking while Mikasa enjoyed the opportunity to daydream for a while. If Eren were between them like usual, he would have been chatting up a storm. Without him, things were vastly different.

“I have a feeling something bad is going to happen soon,” Armin said suddenly, drawing her back to reality.

“You do?”

“Can you imagine what Eren will do when he gets back here?”

Eren, their favorite ball of pure fury and fight, would eventually have to face Reiner again at school. It had escaped Mikasa’s mind that her Omegan friend would want to pick a fight. She had been seething in her own frustrations against the Alpha that she didn’t even think about what Eren would do. “Fuck,” was all she could say in response.

“Yeah, agreed,” Armin snorted. “He’s just lucky Levi isn’t around. Can you imagine? He’s bulky and strong, but there’s no way he could take on Levi, Eren, and you all at the same time.”

“Me?” She wondered why he included her in the mix. It was appropriate, but unexpected.

“Come on, you’ve been planning his death since you found out,” Armin gave her a little nudge. “Historia was too. You both looked like you were ready to maul him.”

Mikasa sighed as he figured her out so easily. Armin was so insightful it was almost scary.

“He’ll have to deal with Eren eventually, I guess,” she figured. “For once, I actually won’t stop him from throwing a few punches at Reiner.”

“Me neither…” Armin sighed. “Though every story has another side to it. Maybe he’s not as bad as we think.”

“Armin, I really don’t think he’s got much to defend himself with,” she gave her friend’s hair a ruffle. She loved how open-minded Armin was, but she didn’t want him to get his hopes up about Reiner.

“We should confront him about it,” he suggested. “Instead of just gossiping about it.”

“I’m not sure school is the best place for that,” she muttered, trying to get Armin off the idea.

As if Eren knew they were talking about it, she got a text from their friend.

Eren [1:02pm]: Heat’s almost over- thank fuck.

“Well, he’s coming back soon, so I guess we’ll have to watch our world turn to shitty chaos soon,” Mikasa showed Armin the text.

Armin hummed in agreement, still wearing that face he had when he was conflicted. Mikasa wasn’t conflicted at all. The moment Eren came back, she wouldn’t leave his side- that was final.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a build-up chapter this time ^^ I will get more into detail/scenes with Eren's heats when he gets a bit older- I promise <3 Anyway, thank you all so much for reading! This story has gotten to 300 pages on the word document I write on (wow!) and it's all thanks to your generous support- thank you so much!! <3 
> 
> f you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


	57. Chapter 57

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi: 19  
> Eren: 16

“Where the fuck is he?!” Eren burst into Reiner’s house with the fury of a thousand Spartans. He’d found out from Connie that Reiner was throwing a party and was determined to crash it, if only to give the bastard a piece of his mind.

The end of his heat was uneventful as always, leaving him exhausted and sleeping most of the time. At that point, Levi had to go back to his classes and couldn’t accompany Eren as much. After a full two day of recovery, Eren was back in action and ready to kick a certain Alpha’s ass. He didn’t tell anyone of his plan, knowing they’d all try to convince him to stay away. Hell, he didn’t even tell Levi and he told Levi _everything_.

Eren was determined, though, and his entire body felt as though it were on fire with rage. Reiner _knew_ how much Eren hated being an Omega and the biological weaknesses that came with it. Reiner _knew_ Eren was committed to someone else and wasn’t looking for anyone else. So, if Reiner didn’t understand that what he did was wrong and that Eren was happily taken, Eren would beat reality right into the fucker’s thick skull.

Reiner’s house was nothing short of amazing. He lived in the wealthy part of town where all the houses looked like colonial mansions with perfectly trimmed hedges and fancy cars parked along circle driveways. Eren parked his mom’s car out by everyone else’s and trudged across the manicured lawn while keeping his trembling fists at his side. Quite a few people were milling about outside, mostly couples who wanted to make-out under the moonlight. Eren hurried right past them all to get inside.

Just like the outside, the inside was obnoxiously big and fancy. Everyone he’d ever met was hanging around the main area with red cups in hand and dopey smiles. At that point in the night, Eren figured most of them were probably drunk. He’d shown up later in the night, partially so he could mentally prepare a good rant and partially because he’d gotten lost on his way to the house.

“Eren!” a voice called out above the crowd. Mikasa spotted him and Armin was alongside her as they shoved through a few bodies to get to him. “What the fuck are you doing here?” Mikasa asked, glaring.

“Am I not allowed here?” Eren asked, returning the same aggression she’d shown him.

“You need to leave. Come on, let’s go,” she took him by the arm in an attempt to drag him out of the house.

“I’ll go after I talk to Reiner,” Eren told her, wrenching himself out of her grasp.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she warned him.

“Yeah, maybe we should talk this over,” Armin added in, looking worried as hell.

They didn’t have to be worried over him, though. It was between him and Reiner, that was all. They couldn’t understand the humiliation Eren felt as he remembered what fell out of that gym bag right before his heat. They couldn’t feel the pain in his chest as he felt guilty over how alluring that scent was. They didn’t have to cry over nearly getting aroused from something other than his own chosen mate. Perhaps it was just a traditional way of showing interest in an Omega, but that didn’t make it right.

“Look, just let me do this,” he sighed, not wanting to fight with them. “Now, where is he?”

They both backed off, probably realizing they weren’t going to change his mind. Still, they weren’t total push-overs and probably wouldn’t make it easy for him. “I don’t know,” they both said in unison, glancing around the room.

“Whoa, Eren, you made it!” Connie cheered, coming out of nowhere with Sasha trailing behind him. “Welcome back, dude!”

“ _You_ told him about the party? I thought we had a mutual agreement that none of us would tell him!” Armin burst.

“Not cool, man,” Mikasa flatly told Connie, crossing her arms.

“What? I didn’t tell him to come. I just told him where we’d all be,” Connie laughed nervously. “Eren, dude, you won’t do anything stupid here, right?”

“Of course not,” Eren sort of lied. Crashing Reiner’s party probably was stupid, but it was something he needed to do.

“Liar,” Sasha called him out right away. “I know that look on your face.”

“I don’t have a look,” he defended himself.

“Yeah, you do. I think I saw Reiner go upstairs,” she pointed to the grand staircase that was littered with people. There was even a mattress that somehow ended up on those stairs. A few people were trying to jump on and slide down the stairs like a sled, but not coordinated enough to get themselves going downward.

“Don’t help him!” Armin squeaked, but it was too late. Eren was on a mission and was flying up the stairs before any of his friends could stop him. He could vaguely hear Sasha telling the others to let him get it out of his system, and they seemed to agree as none of them followed him up.

There were tons of doors along a huge hallway, all of them closed. He burst into room after room, catching numerous classmates in the middle of sex. The minute he’d open up a door, it was like getting smacked in the face with pheromones. Most of them didn’t even notice his presence and ignored him. One couple ended up throwing a few pillows and him and screamed for him to get out. He wasn’t embarrassed, he was too set on finding Reiner to care.

“One more room,” he muttered to himself, knowing that Reiner _had_ to be in there. He swung open the door and took a step inside to see the blond bastard… kissing Bertolt.

“What. The. Fuck?” Eren slowly said, letting the door shut behind him and furrowing his brows together in complete confusion.

“Eren!” Reiner jumped and yanked away from Bertolt. Bertolt looked toward Eren too with wide, fearful eyes. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Looking for you,” Eren spat. “What the hell are _you_ doing?”

“Look, we can explain,” Bertolt started.

“You fucking _better_ explain!” Eren erupted, too angry to listen quite then. “First, you won’t stop flirting with me. Then, you stuff your come-stained shirt in my gym bag! Now, you’re fucking around with Bertolt? What the fuck is _wrong_ with you?”

Reiner opened his mouth and shut it again a few times, processing Eren’s words. He started blinking a lot and Eren realized he was on the brink of tears.

“Eren,” Bertolt stated in a voice he’d never heard come out of the Alpha before. Bertolt was always quiet and calm, but the tone of his voice was protective and laced with his own fury. The pheromones coming off of him were clearly aggressive, most likely in response to Reiner’s scent of distress. He put an arm around the blond and glared at Eren. “ _Nothing_ is wrong with Reiner. You’re wrong for jumping to conclusions.”

“Can you _blame_ me?” Eren nearly shrieked. Did Bertolt seriously think that _Eren_ was in the wrong? Did he not think, even a little bit, that Reiner was a giant fucking creep?

“I can blame you for not thinking there was a second side to the story,” Bertolt kept his voice low and quiet, but nonetheless threatening.

“Then explain. Now.” Eren wasn’t going to leave that room without the truth and nothing but the truth.

“Alphas… aren’t meant to be together,” Reiner finally spoke, keeping his gaze to the floor. “Alphas need to choose an Omega and win them over. That’s what my dad says.”

Eren couldn’t say anything, not quite understanding what Reiner was getting at.

“I don’t want to choose an Omega, though,” he continued. “I want to choose Bertolt. When he found out, though…”

“You don’t have to tell him about that part,” Bertolt whispered.

“He deserves an explanation,” Reiner sighed. “When my dad found out I didn’t want an Omega, he… didn’t take it well. He thought he could beat the idea out of my head, or maybe starve me out. He did anything it took to mold me into the person he wanted me to be. So… I found an Omega I knew I couldn’t get in a million years and told my dad about you. I told him you were the one I wanted. I played the part, and he was finally satisfied.”

After another few seconds of silence, Reiner sniffled and took a shaky breath out. “I thought if I could fake chasing you around for another few years, I could get out of high school… out of this house… and finally be able to be with Bertolt without any problems.”

“But it wasn’t enough,” Bertolt took over, shushing Reiner so the Alpha wouldn’t have to talk any longer about a subject that obviously pained him. “Mr. Braun doesn’t like losers. He doesn’t like people who can’t get what they want. So, he took matters into his own hands.”

Eren connected the dots and his entire body relaxed in sympathy. Anger melted out of him with every word as he realized what was really going on. “You’re saying Reiner’s dad stole Reiner’s come-rag and stuffed it into my bag in hopes I’d leave Levi for him?”

“Yeah,” Reiner covered his face with his hands, obviously ashamed. “I didn’t know he did it until I got home that day.”

“And you didn’t tell me about this… why?”

“How would you like to tell your friend that you have to pretend to like them otherwise your dad will beat you?” Reiner mumbled into his hands. “How was I supposed to tell you that I’m in love with another Alpha?”

“Sorry you got put in the middle of this,” Bertolt rubbed Reiner’s back and exuded clouds of calming pheromones. “It wasn’t supposed to go this far.”

Flashbacks of Rod Reiss flew across Eren’s mind, making his stomach do a few flips. He’d avoided those memories, coping with them with methods his therapist taught him. Still, they were there and fiercely passing through his mind as he listened to Reiner’s situation. He was living with his own nightmare, and Eren wasn’t going to just stand by. “You’ve got to tell someone,” his tone was strict and as serious as ever. “We’re going to tell someone about you dad.”

“No,” Reiner spat out right away. “We can’t.”

“We will,” Eren pressed. “Because you can’t live with someone like that. You’re not going to. We’re telling someone, that’s final.”

“He doesn’t do it to hurt me, it’s just… he doesn’t want…” Reiner’s voice became small as he listed out every rationality that he’d probably ever come up with to defend his dad. “He just wants me to succeed.”

“He won’t let me tell anyone.” It was Bertolt’s turn to look at the ground in shame. “I want to, but…”

“But you’re too much of a coward to protect the one you love,” Eren took a step toward them, a new fury overtaking him. He didn’t mean for it to come out so rude, but he wasn’t exactly the most eloquent person in the world. It was true, though, and perhaps they needed some brutal honesty.

Bertolt glared up at him with tears in his eyes, “That’s not it!”

“Then we’ve got to tell someone about this!” Eren tried not to raise his voice, but it was hard. Reiner _was_ a good guy who was just stuck in bad situation and unintentionally dragged Bertolt and Eren down with him. “Unless you’re lying,” he added on, though he was swayed to believe the two based purely on their reactions and scents.

“It’s no lie,” Reiner confirmed, “But I’d rather not say anything. It’s not like they’ll actually do anything. And if he finds out I told someone…”

“They’ll do something,” Eren assured. “They’ll believe you. If you don’t say something now, it’ll only get worse.”

“I agree with Eren,” Bertolt kept his hand on Reiner, attempting to be as comforting as possible. “I’ve told you again and again, and see? Even Eren agrees.”

“We can tell Kuchel,” Eren suggested.

“The school nurse?” Reiner asked, leaning toward Bertolt.

“Levi’s mom too. She’ll do everything she can to get you out of here,” Eren confirmed. “She, of all people, knows what you’re going through.”

“Eren, I’m an _Alpha_ ,” Reiner reminded him. “Alphas don’t get abused. Alphas are supposed to be strong. _No one will listen_.”

“She will,” Eren assured. “She will.”

After a few long seconds of silence, Reiner finally sighed, “Okay.”

 

That Monday, Eren showed Reiner and Bertolt where Kuchel’s office was and led them in. Once they got inside, he left for his own class and hoped Kuchel could help. He’d gotten so wrapped up in his own emotions, he never thought about Reiner’s side of the story. Armin was right, as usual, in that there were always two sides. Eren wouldn’t tell anyone about what had happened in that bedroom, only that him and Reiner had made amends, and everything was okay again.

Eren always hated being an Omega, but he realized that he wasn’t the only one struggling. Alphas could receive just as much pain and suffering, coping with their own problems too. He could only hope the other adults could help Reiner somehow, but they could only help if he talked to them about the situation first. It was the first step to a long journey of healing, Eren knew, but he was happy he could help Reiner take it. He was just happy to see his friend smiling again.

* * *

“So, it’s all okay?” Levi asked tentatively on his nightly phone call to Eren. Eren told him everything, feeling that Levi was owed a proper explanation of what had happened. Despite the anger he’d kept for Reiner over the past week, he understood and sympathized. Alphas didn’t have it as easy as a lot of people would assume, and those issues could drive a person to do the craziest things such as harboring a fake crush to satisfy their family.

“It’ll be fine,” Eren replied, sounding rather cheerful. “Reiner’s dad didn’t show up to school and his mom didn’t either for classes today, so I bet it’s getting resolved now. Not sure what’ll happen next, but I caught Reiner and Bertolt giggling making out in the locker room so that’s a good sign.”

“And you told your mom about all this too?” Levi had to make sure. When he had told Carla what had happened, she was just as furious about the incident (if not more) than Levi was.

“Your mom did, yeah,” Eren explained. “I’m pretty sure my mom was ready to beat him over the head with her rolling pin, so after she found out what had happened, she was happy I convinced Reiner to talk about it with your mom.”

“I’m happy you did too. I’m really proud of you, Eren,” Levi told him with a smile on his face. “You could have taken the easy route and walked away, but you didn’t.”

“Of course not,” Eren laughed a little. “It… reminded me of something that happened to you…. Y’know?”

“Yeah, I know,” Levi’s voice fell, remembering the terrors of Rod Reiss. The fact that Eren remembered that pain and wanted to protect someone else from it had Levi’s heart swelling with joy and pride.

Domestic abuse against Omegas was common, but it was just as common against Alphas too. They were all expected to act a certain way and behave according to their secondary gender, but a lot of times it didn’t work out that way. Relationships between Omegas and Omegas were considered a waste and looked down upon. Relationships between Alphas and Alphas were even less desired and ridiculed. Levi lived through it and it was why he’d chosen to become a lawyer, so he could put a stop to it in court. Eren lived through it, and it was why he chose to act rather than avoid such a situation.

 Eren yawned, their conversation went on much longer than it usually did. It was nearing midnight and they both needed to get some sleep. After their usual goodbyes, Levi hung up his phone and wandered out to the kitchen to finish up the dishes. He couldn’t sleep unless he knew the sink was clean. To his surprise, Erwin was sitting on the counter with a cup of tea in his hand, staring down at his phone.

“You’re up,” Levi observed, taking a stand in front of the sink and putting on some rubber gloves.

“Can’t sleep,” Erwin returned, holding up his tea. “I’m trying some chamomile.”

“Good call. That should work.” He started on the dishes with one of the many sponges he kept around the sink. “Still got something on your mind?”

“Sort of,” Erwin admitted. He was short in his explanation, which wasn’t like him at all.

“Look, if you want to talk about it, you can. I’m not the best person for advice, but if you just need to word vomit all over me, I’ll let you. That’s a once in a lifetime offer, you know.”

Erwin snorted at Levi’s choice of words and shook his head. “Stupid love stuff. You wouldn’t get it. Your relationship is perfect.”

“You of all people know it isn’t perfect,” Levi reminded Erwin. “It’s perfect for Eren and me, and that’s all that matters, though. We get through all the other shit because we love each other.”

“Yeah? So, all the imperfections don’t really get to you, hm?”

“I guess so. Everything that’s wrong doesn’t matter much when we’re together. We can make it through whatever we put our minds and hearts to.”

Erwin was quiet for a moment before smiling, truly smiling. Levi returned his attention toward the dishes and smiled himself. “Something get through your thick skull, finally?”

“I think so. I’ve got to go,” Erwin hopped off the counter, abandoning his tea, and rushed to his bedroom to change his clothes. After several seconds, he emerged in a coffee-stained pair of chinos, socks, sandals, a hockey jersey, and a beanie.

“What the hell are you wearing?” Levi had to ask.

“The first things I could find on my floor,” Erwin replied quickly, grabbing his phone and wallet from the coffee table. “I need to do something. Not sure when I’ll be back.”

“Good luck,” was all Levi could say. He truly had no idea what Erwin was doing, but he was just happy to see his friend smiling again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Armin was right... every story has two sides. I feel Alphas could endure the same amount of pressure as Omegas and wanted to bring that situation to light. This story has gotten much more real than I had anticipated at the beginning and didn't feel it was right to only show half of Reiner's true character. I was really torn on just making him a true, blue bad guy or not- so I apologize if any of you don't agree with how this situation turned out! (I was inspired after watching The Perks of Being a Wallflower)
> 
> If you're experiencing any kind of domestic violence at home or in any relationship you're a part of, it is so very important to talk to an adult about it. I know it's really intimidating and scary, but it's incredibly important to take that first step. Also, if any of you have any helpful information or resources for anyone that may be struggling, feel free to add it into the comments. 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)

**Author's Note:**

> Again, thank you for reading! 
> 
> If you have any questions, concerns, requests, suggestions or just want to chit-chat, you can find me on tumblr: [snakemittenswrites](https://snakemittenswrites.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Here’s a link to my personal blog as well!: [snakemittens](https://snakemittens.tumblr.com/)


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